


Xiaolin Rising

by A_Microraptor



Category: Xiaolin Showdown (Cartoon)
Genre: Found Family, Friendship, Implied Death, Minor Character Death, i'm tagging that just in case, the emotional manipulation of minors
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-03
Updated: 2018-08-04
Packaged: 2019-06-21 08:54:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 37
Words: 179,161
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15554142
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/A_Microraptor/pseuds/A_Microraptor
Summary: For centuries, the Xiaolin Dragon Cycle has been broken, and the Xiaolin's magic has been lost. With the threat of the Heylin coming on the horizon, a fourth Xiaolin Dragon has finally been chosen. The Elders hope that, with her, balance will be restored, but the Heylin have their own plans for this young Dragon.





	1. Chapter 1

**Season One**

" _But I woke, sharp and hungry, still as summer in the afternoon. Raised up from the water, but my brother couldn't carry me. I’ll find my own way out of here. Yes, I’ll find my own way out of here._ " - Kid, Mother Falcon  
  
One_ What Papa Always Says

The yells of rioters filled the valley.  Red sky chased away murky clouds, slicing through them like claws, as the dawn tried to break free of the distant mountain peaks. That freedom was short lived. The sun only just winked its eye above the shallow fields of the valley, before it was swallowed up by a thick blanket of thunder clouds that crawled up from the west. The muted bluish-pink and harsh grey collided, like two rival armies, above the rising glow of the flames as they licked the sky.

The smell of burning flesh stung Tala's nose, though the screams of the fire's victim were drowned out by the villagers who cheered on her death. They were ignorant to the flashes of lightning that crackled across the yawning dawn, snapping like a thousand whips as the clouds called their warning of the rain and wind that had not yet arrived.

The child stood silently, her eyes unable to be pulled away from the yellow glow that was once her mother. Moments before, her father had snatched her away from the crowd that had swarmed the screaming woman now tied to the stake. He did not give them the chance to have her daughter.

The two had already disappeared over the hill overlooking their village, before the angry men could turn their eyes to Tala. Her father had done all that he could to keep Tala from seeing her mother's death, but now his back was turned toward their cart and donkey, and Tala’s grim curiosity got the better of her.  

Her eyes were upon the flickering light at the bottom of the hill. As if under a trance, she focused on the light, the rest around it blurring. The mens' yells buzzed in her ears like flies.

 _A witch,_ they had said, but that was all Tala really understood of their shouting.

The villagers had demanded her mother’s head, when children began to die. Tala couldn't understand how this was her mother's fault. It was winter; many people died during winter. The frost had yet to cover the ground, but the wind was just as cold and dangerous. Even without snow, people were prone to die this time of year, especially children. Tala knew this as a fact. Her own sister had been buried the last year, just before the ground softened and the ice melted. She just couldn't understand how her mother was to blame.

"A witch," Tala  mumbled to herself, the villager’s word for it filling her mouth like the bite of a rotting apple.

"Don’t say that word," Tala’s father snapped over his back, thick with an accent that never truly caught on to her and Mama’s words. He tossed his axe onto the pile of sticks lying under the tarp. "I _never_ want to hear you say that again.”

"They said we are," Tala murmured, but Papa didn't hear her. He came up behind Tala and yanked on her wrist.

Tugging her toward the cart, he told her, "She was different, not like those others. So are you."

" _Others_ ,” Tala echoed hollowly, in his tongue, the word as thick and comforting as the forest she played in, her eyes still on the fire at the bottom of the hill.

Her father knelt down, one hand on his knee and the other on her shoulder.

"Tala, listen to me," he said. The steely blue of his eyes was softened by the gloss of tears. Papa did his best, but his accent tossed Mama’s words around harshly, like stones hitting each other.

"I want you to remember your mother as she was to you, no matter what anyone says,” he said. “It does not matter what you hear, what you see, whatever happens. Your mother loved our family. She loved _you._ She used her magic for good at the end of her life. It was the _end_ of her life that mattered, do you understand?"

Tala nodded, but she noticed his eyes darting, looking at her face. She wondered if he was looking for a memory of her mother there. After all, he didn't look like they did. He was pale, tall,  and stocky, with the straight, thin nose of the men from across the sea, to the north.

An old tattoo, long since faded, wrapped around from the top of Papa’s scarred eyebrow to the bottom of his chin, inky knots all intertwining with each other in the shapes of fish hooks and animals. His dark hair was braided down his back, freckled with bits of twine and wood. The ones closest to his ear, small bones and carved bits of oak, clacked together when Papa shifted a little to cup Tala’s face with his hand.

He then spoke in his home-tongue again, strange words that Tala only knew in patches of stories and songs, and loved every sound. It was a phrase that he used often, mostly to himself, or in the stories he’d told her. It was a simple phrase, one that meant, “ _Do not forget your home, or me_.”

Tala nodded. She whispered, too upset to speak his words back to him, “I won’t forget, never.”

She stubbornly wiped her nose on her sleeve, biting her lip. Papa smiled and pulled Tala close to him, squeezing her tightly.

“I don’t want to do it, Papa, I can’t!” Tala mewled into his shoulder. Her bubbling words rounded with his same accent, try though she had to say it exactly like Mama used to. She cried and cried, hating herself and Mama for leaving him like this.  

Papa’s brogue was thicker than she’d ever heard it, making him harder to understand, when he lifted her onto the back of the cart and asked, "Do you remember what Papa always says?"

"Beidh an ghrian ag ardú i gcónaí," Tala answered slowly, trying to remember how to recite the adage, while he bundled the starchy cloak around her neck tightly.

"That's right," Papa encouraged her. He didn’t seem to mind that her words weren’t perfect. "Never forget it. No matter how bad things get, alright? Just as you will see the sun again, you will see me too.”

* * *

  
  
"And you are certain that she is a hard worker?"

"Yes, she is," said Papa.  He was smiling in spite of the woman's skeptical gaze. "Tala has helped me gather firewood, from the time she was very little. She's developed strength in her arms."

Tala shied away from the burly woman, whose eyes were too small and too close together for the girl's liking- like a pig. She shyly clung to her father's coat, hiding behind him as best she could while still being able to look at Sow Face with wary eyes.

"She doesn't look strong," Sow Face harrumphed. “Bit too thin in the face. Looks sickly. You best not be handing off a burden to me. The Masters won't like that."

Tala hardly understood the woman’s words, picking up peices that she knew from when she used to listen to Papa bargain with the villagers at trading time. She leaned into Papa, who by now was speaking too fast in the strange language with Sow Face for Tala to keep up. Sow Face was speaking in such a manner that Tala felt herself shrinking against her father’s coat to shield herself from the spit flying from Sow Face’s mouth as they argued with hushed tones.

Tala only caught a few words from the ugly old woman, like “cost,” and “small,” so she yanked on Papa’s arm, and he sighed. He snuck a look at Tala before answering Sow Face, this time speaking slowly.

"I promise you," he said, placing an assuring hand behind Tala's head. "My girl will make a good worker for your masters. But if you will not use her, I can find another place that will."

Sow Face snorted. Gesturing toward Tala, she said, "Where? The next monastery is over the Three Hills! That’s a month's journey! Seeing how thin she is, the child wouldn't last a quarter of the walk. I'll take her, but she'll have to be a kitchen maid."

"Done," clipped Papa, his jaw setting with a poorly hidden snarl.

Sow Face looked at Tala, her flat nose turned up in scrutiny.

"How old are you, girl?" she asked, "Speak up!"

"Eleven, ma'am," Papa answered for her.

The angry look the woman gave caused Tala to cling more tightly to her father's hand. Her shoulders clenched hard enough to pinch her neck fat.

"She speaks only a few common words,” Papa explained, “but understands most. She won’t have a problem following your orders, if you take the time to speak slowly. Her name is-"

"I could give a horse's shit about her name, nor if she’s too stupid to speak!" snapped Sow Face, to which Tala could feel her father tense. Again, to Tala, she spoke slowly, “I just need a hard worker. Can you do that for me?"

Tala vigorously nodded, trying her best not to rouse the pig lady's temper further. The woman snorted with a firm nod of her own, accepting Tala's silent answer.

"Good," she said. "Now say goodbye to your father. We have work to do."

Sow Face flicked her eyes back to Tala's father, their beadiness holding a glint of disgust before she turned back toward the large temple gates.

Tala gave no second thoughts to her, and grasped her father's back as tightly as she could.

"Don't leave me, Papa!" she begged. “Don't go away, I need you! I can’t be with these people! They speak faster than those in the village! I won’t be able to understand!"

He turned around and bent a knee, wrapping Tala up into his arms.

"A leanbh na páirte," he said, "you _can_.”

“But I-”

“You’ll learn the rest as you live with them,” Papa encouraged her. “I had to, remember? With your mother _and_ with the villagers. You will catch up. You must be strong, now.”

Tala wept, shaking against both the cold wind and her Papa’s words, but his large and warm hands held her shoulders steady. Tala looked up at his scruffy beard and shining eyes.

“It's a long road that has no turning, Tala,” Papa said, his calloused thumb dragging a stray tear off of her cheek. “Nothing along it can stay smooth or rough for very long, but it _does_ end. _How_ you see its end is up to you. "

He winked and brushed his knuckles under Tala’s chin. “Not all bad things last forever. I will come back for you when I find a better place for us. The roads down farther are too dangerous for my treasure to be wandering around in winter, so you need to get along a while here without me. Can I trust you to be a brave, smart girl for Papa?"

Papa's face blurred at the edges. Nodding her head to answer, Tala threw her arms around his neck and wept, fearing that the hairs on his cheeks scratched her face for the last time. Into his ear she whispered, "I love you, Papa."

"My heart is with you, _A Thaisce_ ," he answered, as their arms parted, "and it always will be."

"Come on, girl," shouted Sow Face from the gate. "Hurry up, we haven't got all day!"

Tala hiccuped when her father let go and re-tightened the collar of her cloak.

"Now remember," he said, taking her face into his comforting hands, cold though they were. "Keep your eyes open. Listen to _her,_ and keep your head down. You’ll want to use what few of their words you know to keep from feeling too lonely. Before you know it, you will speak like them. You may even consider it home, at least until I return for you.”

Tala stared at him with shock, and Papa’s quivering lips pulled into a grin.

“Now, now, think of it as an adventure!” he said. “I'll be back before you know it, and we can speak like this again. I’m sure you’ll be gossiping with the other girls before you know it, too.  But when you do, promise me you won't say anything about your mother, yes?"

"Okay, Papa," she answered obediently, nodding her doubt and tears away, "I promise."

She watched him walk down the winding path, but only stayed until he was half-way away, reluctantly turning to Sow Face, who was still glaring at them from the gate.

“Hurry up!” she called again, waving impatiently. “If you don’t, I’ll shut the gate on you! Then, where will you be?!”

Tala raced in after her, avoiding the Sow Face’s burning eyes.

* * *

  
  
"Most call me Ma, but you'll be calling me Yuma 'till you've earned the right," said Sow Face, "and you'll be answering to me, do you understand?"

Tala’s eyes wandered around the hall, watching Sow Face-Yuma’s shadow grapple with hers, like a pair of floundering fish. Papa said to listen to Sow Face, but she spoke too fast for Tala to care.

Tala’s mind wandered from Sow Face’s ugly voice to her mother, while taking in the smells of the kitchen just down the way. The spices brought back memories of red hair, bright smiles, and cheery humming.

Reality struck when pots began to bang together so loudly that they made Tala clench her teeth tightly enough to leave her jaw sore. She rubbed at it and noticed how cold and clammy her hands felt. Like death, she thought.

Tala brought her hands to her face and blew hot breath into her palms.They looked like two freshly baked loaves that had fallen into the dirt. The sight of them made Tala want to pick at the black beneath her nails.

"Noticed yourself finally, did you?" snorted Yuma. She had stopped and turned, when she noticed Tala's lagging. "You'll be given a bath soon with the rest of the girls, don't worry. Now keep up."

Tala kept her distance, but she could hear old Sow Face muttering to herself: "Strange creature. Too dark, too thin and too much hair. 'Sa wonder she survived to eleven, already. In my girlhood, she'd be swinging by a tree for lookin' a bit too much like _them_."

Heat crept up Tala's neck, wishing she hadn’t understood.

'Them,' she thought, 'like the others Papa was talking about?'

Now that she thought about it, her Mama's skin was dark, too. She also had unnaturally red hair. Though Tala's hair had been nothing but stark black for as long as she could remember, it curled tightly the same way Mama's did, and she had noticed before that it wasn’t the same as those in the village. Not one person, even those who had wavy hair, had the same tight ringlets as her and Mama.

Tala ran her fingers through the curls on her shoulders, feeling self conscious. Did she really look as strange as old Sow Face was muttering? Would they really have killed her too, if Papa hadn't sent her to this place?

"The Xiaolin Temple has been standing for almost two thousand years," shouted Yuma over her shoulder, as the sounds of the kitchen grew louder. "It's said to be one of the most beautiful structures in all of the central provinces, second only to The Capitol."

Yuma stopped dead short and grabbed Tala's arm. Tala had to stop herself from crying out, since Yuma's tight grip was painful, as she swung Tala around to her front.

"But _you,_ Little Rat," laughed Yuma, "will only be seeing the beauty of the kitchen."

She tossed Tala inside. Tala quickly caught herself on the edge of the chopping table with both hands, stopping her nose just inches from a half-plucked chicken lying in a pool of its own blood. Tala looked back to Yuma, fighting back the urge to vomit over the smell of rust and the feel of the blood that had dried to brown where her hands had landed.

Yuma gave Tala a look over, a cocky smile spread across her piggy face.

"Make sure you put your hair up," she said. "Don't want you dirtying the food."

“ _Deir_?” Tala hissed to herself.

Yuma left without another word, her large body disappearing faster than Tala could register what  she had said or what had just happened. She looked down at the table, letting the red and brown blur together under the lenses of her tears. Tala fought to breathe, curling her fists, and struggled to cling to what little control she still had over herself.

It wasn't fair! Her Papa should not have left her with that terrible Sow Face, speaking words she could hardly understand! He should have-

"Are you alright?"

Tala quickly wiped her tears away, pulling up her sleeve to avoid smearing the blood all over herself, and half turned to see a girl standing there.

The girl, not much older than Tala herself, had a thin face and full figure. Her black eyes shone with genuine concern and kindness from above a straight nose, and below high-arching eyebrows. Her hair was pulled back into a braided bun so tightly coiled that Tala thought the girl feared wrinkles, her visible cheekbones only adding to the funny idea.The beauty smiled at Tala with a contagious grin that Tala fought not to catch, with a bite of her inner cheek and a flush of pink to her face.

"My name is Jia,"  said the girl, pulling a cloth from her apron. "I work in the kitchens, too. I can help you with your hair, if you'd like."

Tala gulped down her surprise, letting the tears that had already formed at her eyes fall down her face. She realized that did not know what to say back. Trying not to show that she only understood the half about the girl’s name, Tala  just stared at Jia, whose kind eyes reminded her of Papa.

“ _Deir_?” she squeaked.

Jia’s smile dimmed, but then pulled Tala's wrists gently toward her.

"Here," said Jia, slowly. "Let me clean you up."

Jia took the cloth and dipped it into the water pan beside her.

"Pay no mind to Ma," she said, wiping Tala's hands. "You can't imagine how hard it is to be in charge of a hundred girls. Everyone expects her to know what to do, giving the orders and all. Not to mention the Masters' demands for keeping the Temple spotless. If she isn't on our case, she isn't doing her job. Ma’s a bit rough, but she means nothing by it, really. You'll get used to her, I promise! She'll warm up before you know it, too!"

Jia kept on chattering, but Tala was not really listening. She was too preoccupied by Jia's ability to talk so fast while still sounding so pretty, like a bird. Tala only caught a few sentences perfectly, but understood the gist of what Jia was saying. Tala enjoyed the sound of Jia’s voice much more than Sow Face’s. It almost made her want to sleep. `

Jia pulled out the stool from behind her, the gritting sound bringing back Tala's attention.

"We have to tidy up your hair," Jia explained, when Tala flinched at her touch. "Ma wasn't joking about that. The last girl who dropped her hair into the warriors' food was dismissed."

"Bad," muttered Tala, not very happy about the prospect of having to tie her hair back as tightly as Jia's. "Not fair."

Jia smiled far too happily.

"So, you do speak!" she laughed, taking Tala's hands in excitement. "And here I thought Ma had brought me a total foreigner!"

" _Jo, chawquian,_ " Tala ripped her hands away, teeth chattering in sync with her heartbeat. “Sorry. Speak small.”

“Do you understand me?” Jia asked.

Tala pressed her lips together.

“Understand-” she said, then nodded.

“Speak-” Tala shook her head vigorously, her curls flailing around.

“So, I can speak to you, but you can’t speak to me?”

Tala threw up her hands. “Slow, please! Understand big, but slow!”

Jia sighed. “Your parents lock you up, or something? Didn’t you have friends? Strange accent you have, too.”

A flash of red hair popped up in the back of her mind, cold water and snow rushing up to meet it. Tala held her breath. She shook her head hard, again.

“An bhfuil an teanga seo á labhairt agat?” she asked.

“I’m sorry, sweetie,” said Jia, “What?”

“ _Jo, chawquian!”_ Tala cried, “Sorry. You do not speak Papa.”

“Speak Papa?” Jia asked, fighting a smile. “That’s so cute!”

Tala scrunched her nose. “Cute…”

Jia pressed her hands over Tala’s cheeks, and gently squished Tala’s face in.

“Cute!” she said. “Like this: Cute, cute!”

“Understand, understand!” Tala cried, yanking Jia’s hands off of her.

Tala sucked breath in, hugging herself. She suddenly began to cry. Jia jumped back.

“ _Jo, chawquian!_ ” blubbered Tala again, unable to stop herself. She cried even harder when she saw how worried Jia looked.

"Oh no," Jia said, leaning away. Her elated smile flipped to a worried frown. "I’m sorry! You've just left your family, and I'm sitting here making fun of you! Poor thing!"

Tala nodded and bit the inside of her cheek, forcing herself to calm down. Her fingers curled tightly over the stool’s edge. She dared not look at Jia.

“That word, _jo chawquian,_ ” said Jia, “It sounds similar to the common language, here. Is it your village dialect?”

Tala shook her head.

“Mama, me,” was all she could bring herself to say.

“Oh,” Jia squeaked. They fell into silence.

Tala glared at the grains on the wooden stool, willing her tears to stay behind her eyes.

"Are you angry?" Jia asked, her frown deepening.  "I honestly didn't mean it. I tend to lose track of my tongue. Ma always tells me to keep quiet in front of the men, because of it."

Men. Tala shuddered at the word. She saw what men could do when they were angry. They hardly seemed human.

Jia rolled up her sleeves and scooted closer to begin working on pinning up Tala's bangs. Tala held her breath at the shocking sight of deep scars running across them. There were three on each arm.

Jia noticed her stare and smiled unconvincingly, saying, "I have an elder brother. The people in my village called him simple. He was often chased down and beaten by the other boys for being different."

Tala knew what that was like. Red hair, frozen with ice, popped into her head again. She shivered.

Jia moved to the back and gathered up the bulk of Tala's hair, and began braiding.

"They chased him back to the farm, one day,” she said. “He was crying. That wasn't very unusual, but instead of chasing him with sticks, the boys had knives. I didn't want them to hurt him, so I ran after them with my broom. Silly of me, using a broom against three near-grown boys, but it was all I could do to protect him."

She fell silent, and kept working. Tala felt a shift in the air, a stillness like the trees in winter. She wasn’t sure how to ask, or if she should, but- "Happen, bad?"

Jia swallowed, twisting the braid into a bun tightly, making Tala wince when she rounded it out on the top of her head.

"They pinned me down," said Jia, swallowing her emotions. "One slice on both arms, for each boy I offended. My father said that I was lucky they didn't do more. He said they were generous, that he would have done worse."

Anger flash fired up Tala's back. What kind of papa could say such a thing? Who could just let their children get hurt, and not do anything? Her Papa would _never_ -

The kettle on the pot stove screamed and shot into the air, slamming into the ceiling. The clay shattered, spraying the kitchen with scalding rain. The girls ducked, covering their heads.

Jia rushed over to clean it up.

"Must've not heard the warning whistle," she said. "I'm sorry, dear. Scared you to near death. Are you alright?"

Tala didn't answer. She was too stunned. She stared at the broken pieces, now gathered up into the net of Jia's apron as she cleaned up the rest.

"Ah, nearly forgot," laughed Jia, dumping the clay into a bin. She brushed at her apron, the clay dust streaking it brown from her wet fingers. She looked up at Tala with a cheery grin, "In all the excitement, I forgot to ask you. What's your name?"

“Name?” Tala asked.

Jia nodded.

“I’m Jia,” she encouraged, pointing to herself. She pointed to Tala. “Your name is?”

"Tala," she answered, unable to share Jia’s smile. Her heart raced with dreadful realization, as her eyes traced the mud streaming down Jia’s apron. She swallowed, her throat scratching with dryness.

"Pretty name," Jia remarked, wiping off the rest of her hands with a rag. "I'm not familiar with it, though. Is it common in your village?"

Tala shook her head, eyes still on Jia’s clothes. The wooden stool softened under her nails, as she clenched her hands tighter.

"Suits you, then," Jia answered, bringing the rag over to Tala. "An uncommon name for an uncommon girl."

She handed it to Tala with a smile and said, "I hope we can get to know each other better. Maybe, I can teach you how to speak!"

Tala jumped up, avoiding contact with Jia’s hands.

" _Jo, chaw-_ sorry," she stammered, bowing quickly.

Tala rushed past Jia, trying her hardest not to begin crying again, passing the outside columns toward the animal pens. The world around her was a blur. She shut everything out, ignoring the protests of the women she ran past, until she was finally alone in an adjacent courtyard.

Her refuge was small, just a simple rectangle plot with a willow tree, but it was silent and secluded. Tala collapsed at the roots of the willow, crying into her knees. She just wanted to go home, to be safe and happy with Mama and Papa. It wasn't right! Her mother didn't do anything!

Tala hugged herself tightly, fighting to not make too much noise, though she desperately wanted to scream. It wasn't fair!

And there Tala sat, underneath the willow tree with the cold wind nipping at the back of her neck. She was sad, afraid, and alone, feeling as though she had not a friend in the world.


	2. Chapter 2

Two_ The Brave Girl and The Warrior Boy

Buzzing. 

That was all she could hear. Buzzing.

There was lightning in the distance, nipping at the rays of the sun poking through behind the clouds, but there was no thunder, just the angry buzzing. It grew louder and louder, filling Tala's senses to the point where she could barely breathe. The buzzing drowned out everything, even the sound of the rain.

A hand yanked her back by the shoulder, and Tala turned to see her mother. Her half-moon eyes squinted their silver light, as Mamma bent down with arms spread wide to scoop Tala up into her arms.

Mama was as beautiful as the mountain women she often told Tala about in her nighttime stories: stories of the Mountain Clan, of brave warriors and of ancient magic. She always seemed to glow with the radiance of those tales she told.

Her deep brown skin held a yellow glow against the light, and a halo wrapped around Mama’s curly red hair. She laughed at Tala joyously, the black birthmark that she and Tala shared wrinkling at the corner of her left eye.

“Oh, Tala,” she said, sighing with playful annoyance, “why  _ ever  _ are you crying?”

Tala embraced her mother tightly, letting her warmth soak in. 

"Where did you go, Mama?" she asked. "Papa and I went away. I couldn't find you.”

"What are you talking about,  _ Suxiao _ ?" laughed Mama. "I'm right here!"

Tala let go, sensing that something was wrong. Tala’s hands flew right to her nose when the smell of burning flesh hit, sudden and repugnant. The flies began buzzing again, and she felt the heat of an open flame wash over her.

Tala screamed as flames overtook her mother. They ate at Mama's clothes, rotting them away into black ash. They devoured her red curls and licked at her skin as if it were honey, yet Tala's mother smiled at her without even a flinch. 

She said, as her skin began to melt away, "I will  _ always _ be with you."

Tala jumped up from her mat, shaking. The small bowls and utensils that were floating above her dropped to the ground and clattered all around the floor. A fork even landed in Tala’s lap. She picked it up, catching her breath and clenching her shoulders to stop the shivering. Angrily, she threw it, letting it clatter against the stove.

It happened, again.

Three weeks of the same dream, waking up to the same things floating, and then falling, around her head. It was maddening! Why did this have to happen to her,  _ now _ ? Why not when Mama was still alive? Why not when Mama could still help her?

Jia always woke up, too, and like clockwork, tonight she asked in her sleepy haze from the other side of the bench, "Tala, is that you? What's happened?"

"Move, sleep," Tala lied, like she always did. "Woke you, sorry. Sleep fine, now."

"Well, be more careful then," was her bitter reply. Tala couldn't blame her. This had happened every night since her arrival. "Let me get some sleep,  _ for once! _ "

Tala laid back down and stared at the ceiling, listening for Jia's shallow breathing to start again, which did not take very long. It was a comforting sound. It reminded Tala of home, when she used to snuggle up between Mama, Papa and Meilin, listening to to the lullaby of her father's shallow snoring. But tonight, she did not need a lullaby.

Tala got up from her mat, careful not to disturb Jia again, and quietly slipped out toward the animal pens. The snow had fallen already, dusting the hard earth with a coating of white, like sugar on a sweet bun. Tala pulled the jacket over her night dress more tightly, instantly regretting her decision to go outside in the middle of the night.

Finally, she made it to her little courtyard. The full moon shone brightly through the empty branches of the willow. A ring was wrapped around it, calling for more snow, but with no clouds to fulfill its wish. The wind was bitter and light, as it blew past Tala’s ears and ruffled her hair. It even smelled like winter, hurting her lungs when Tala breathed in the sharp scent. Tonight was the night; she needed to settle this, once and for all. Tala would have to teach herself on her own.

Tala looked at the crack in the wall across the courtyard. The roots of the tree had dug deep beneath the wall, splitting it up the middle in its weaker parts. There was a large gap in the center where the root had pushed through- nature taking back what was rightfully hers, as Mama would have said. 

Tala loved that crack. She loved looking at it and imagining the things that lay beyond. What she loved most was the tiny glimpse of the world it gave her. Tala swore one day, once she'd gained the courage enough, she would climb through it and never look back.

But tonight was not such a night. Tala was here for another reason: to practice magic. She was sick of lying to Jia every night, of having to protect her face from falling knives every night and, most importantly, she was sick of feeling so afraid.

Tala had done as Papa ordered, she kept her head down and swallowed every command Sow-faced Yuma gave her. She kept everyone, especially Jia, at arms length and  _ still _ Tala was at risk of hurting people and exposing herself. If anything were to happen to Jia, if Tala were to get too angry, if everyone found her out, then…  _ No _ , that was not going to happen. She would _ not  _ wind up like Mama, not like in her dreams. She could control it. She _ would _ control it!

Tala gathered up some snow from the ground. The ice was so cold that it burned her bare fingers, but she rolled it into three balls and laid them down in a row in front of her. Tala took a breath and held it, second guessing herself. What if Jia hadn't really fallen back to sleep? What if she was followed?

Tala checked over her shoulder, scanning the shadows, but there was nothing there. It was just her and the rustle of the wind clattering against the willow's branches. She looked back at the three balls and released her breath, steadying her nerves.

" _ Alright, Tala, _ " she whispered to herself, relieved to speak her own language in private. " _ You've tried this before. You almost got it last night, remember? You are Mama's daughter. You can do this. _ "

Tala closed her eyes and stretched out her hands. Her fingers were already numb, wet from the snow and freezing from the wind, but that didn't matter. She had to do this. She had to try.

Tala focused, waiting for her hands to feel the heat of magic again, to feel that fluttering bird in her lungs, to taste the orange on her tongue. It had happened before. She always woke up to that taste in her mouth, just before everything fell each night. She knew that she could do it. 

Tala shocked herself with a sudden burn and whipped her arms back, sucking on her fingertips. She glared at the snowballs. One was half melted, but none had moved. She bent down, remade the one she melted and tried again, this time not focusing on the heat of her magic, but on the force of it. 

She slowly opened her eyes, trying desperately not to get her hopes up… Nothing. They still didn't move. 

Tala groaned, staring up at the moon. She always rather liked the moon. It reminded her of her mother's eyes. They were white like it was, and shone just as brightly when she smiled. Papa said that Tala had those pretty eyes too, but she never believed him. They were dull and sad and didn't shine at all. To Tala, they were just like everyone else’s.

She wanted to cry. Tala hated thinking about them, like this. She just wanted to go home, to sleep on the floor mat again with her parents, not sneak around in the dark hiding herself from everyone!

Tala sat down on the root of the willow and sighed, staring at the three snowballs with contempt.

" _ I hate you _ ," she grumbled. 

Their faceless forms stared back at her, shining under the moonlight in a way that felt like they were mocking her.

" _ If Mama were here, you wouldn't be looking at me like that _ ," Tala warned them. "S _ he'd have tossed you so far away, that you'd have hit a star by now _ ."

They didn't respond. She knew they wouldn't, but that didn't stop Tala from being frustrated. 

" _ Why can't I move you? _ " she demanded. " _ This should not be so hard. I can do it in my sleep, so why can't I- ugh, it just isn't fair! _ "

Tala pounded her fists against her knees, and the sudden sweet taste of orange coated her tongue. She looked at the snowballs, her heart racing. All three were at her eye level.

" _ How did _ -" Tala began to smile, deciding it was best not to question herself, and slowly stood. 

The balls rose with her, staying at level with her head. She reached out her hands, and they floated down to hover above her palms, each bobbing like a fluttering bird.

" _ I can't believe it _ ," mumbled Tala. Then louder, as her breath caught up with her heart, " _ I can't believe it _ ! _ " _

Tala spun with her arms stretched out, the snow kicking up at her feet, as the floating snowballs lifted up again and began dancing around her head. She swayed with them, making the tiny balls of ice intertwine with each other, like leaves caught in the wind. Testing her limits, Tala raised them higher, spinning faster and faster below as they floated into the bare branches of the willow. She did it! She finally did it!

There was a snap of twigs and Tala dropped them instantly, her heart plummeting to the ground as fast as her frozen playthings. She gasped with surprise when her eyes met those of a smiling boy.

For an instant, she could see that he was tall and dressed in the winter robes of a third rank warrior, one of high reverence. His slick hair had been swept back, grown out into the latest fashion of the southern cities. He gave a small chuckle at her surprise, but Tala did not want to stick around to see what the rest of him looked like.

Tala lunged for the wall crack, sprinting as fast as she could.

"Wait," he called, but Tala would not listen.

She was also too slow. The boy snatched her up, his grip on her arm like the iron clasp that would soon be around her wrist, if she could not get away.

" _ Tinyu _ !  _ Tinyu _ ! Let go!" cried Tala, clawing at his fingers.

He snatched her other hand, pinching her fingers in his crushing palm.

"Stop it," he scolded, "I won't hurt you."

" _ Yeu _ !" she squealed, thrashing against him, kicking and fighting for escape.

He grunted when Tala kicked his shin. 

"You  _ are _ a feisty one, aren't you," he grumbled, letting go of Tala's hand to wrap his arm around her. “What language is that?”

“Not to you!” Tala hissed, kicking again. She missed, this time. 

The boy pulled her close, folding Tala’s arms together, against him. Tala growled, finding her wriggling useless.  

Satisfied that she seemed to be giving up, the boy whispered triumphantly, "Now be quiet, or we'll wake the entire Temple."

"Let go!”  she cried with one last burst of energy, and a good kick. " _ Tinyu _ !”

"Shh!” the boy hushed desperately, struggling to pin Tala’s swinging leg between both of his, "not so loud!"

Tala gave up on kicking, and now tried her hardest to bury under his arms. The boy held on, tightly.

“Okay, I’m done,”  he growled, and hooked the back of Tala's ankle with his foot, sending her to the ground.

The boy threw himself practically on top of her, making Tala cry out, again. She thrashed all the harder, squaring her shoulders to wiggle free. Tala kept her eyes closed tightly as she fought, using all of her might with what dwindling hope she had left to try to shake him away.

The boy held her shoulders tightly, hissing, "Enough.”

Tala ignored him and continued to struggle. The boy shook her hard, his nails digging into her arms.

"Don’t you understand? _ " _ he hissed, again. “ _ Enough _ !”

Tala sucked in breath and opened her eyes, her chest wheezing with rattling fear. The cold air made it all the harder to breathe. She looked at him, her throat dry and scratchy as she hiccuped back her overwhelming panic.

The boy’s eyes were amber, pale and honey colored. This shade of brown was so strange, so vivid, that it hardly seemed real under his dark, long eyelashes. His lips were parted, hot breath hitting her face as he caught his own. 

"What is your name?" he asked.

Tala's chest tightened. Her breathing strained past his weight, as it crushed her. She shook her head, not sure if she really understood. He was speaking far too fast, but the question was familiar. She swallowed, trying to think how best to speak. This language still felt strange, and tasted bitter to her mouth.

“Must matter?” she asked. “Your…  _ Master, _ kill.”

The boy's large smile was charming. 

"You are a strange one," he observed, lightly.

There was a joke that Tala did not quite understand, and she knew she wouldn’t like it if she did.

"Your  _ name _ , brave girl,” the boy insisted, speaking slowly, this time. “What is it?"

Tala set her jaw and glared at him.

"Do you have one?"

She clenched her jaw harder.

“Do you understand?” he asked.

Tala growled like Papa used to, her chest rumbling, hoping it would scare him. 

He laughed and held her chin between his finger and thumb. 

"Careful," the boy chided, "you'll break your teeth that way. Even  _ you _ must understand that."

Tala turned her head away, hot tears stinging her eyes, and freezing on her cheeks. The snow at her back had melted and soaked through the thick wool of her dress. She shivered.

The boy sighed, and sat up. 

"Look," he said, "be more careful. If the wrong person saw you, he would have killed you."

"Kill me, not?"

The boy's smile was no longer playful. It was genuine, as he reached out a hand to help her up. Tala hesitated, unsure, but took it and let him lift her off of the ground.

"I'm not the kind of man to kill a little kid," he told her.

"But, eleven!" Tala protested, pointing to her chest, invoking the numbers Jia had taught her just that morning. 

He scoffed a little, looking her up and down with a playful, albeit confused, grin.

"Exactly," he answered, after a short pause, pulling off his overcoat. 

The strange boy wrapped it around Tala, tugging tightly around her neck to cover up the wet draft.

"The last thing you need is to get sick, little witch," he explained when he noticed her staring at him warily.

There was that ugly word again. It stung the back of Tala’s throat, though he was the one who had said it. 

The boy leaned in close to her ear as he finished the last tie below her chin. 

"If you want to return the coat," he whispered, "ask for Chase Young. Good night, Brave Girl."

He kissed her cheek and winked at her before sauntering off toward the gate.

"Ah-" she called hesitantly, "Tala-  _ Name,  _ Tala."

Chase Young did not look back, but raised a hand in acknowledgement of what she said. Tala stood shivering in the cold, watching the strange boy with the strange eyes leave. Wrapped in his still-warm jacket, Tala wondered if she had just somehow made a friend or made a terrible mistake.


	3. Chapter 3

Three_ Sewn Together

The morning bell was loud and abrupt. Tala bashed her head on the low board of the counter, immediately dropping her head back onto the mat. This was quickly followed by a throbbing headache and a sore spot between her eyes. She groaned.

"Breakfast chore," said Jia as she briskly walked past Tala's mat, carrying the pot of rice for the warriors' breakfast. "Put on an apron, and help me serve! The other girls have already begun to prepare the bowls. We just need to bring the rice and eggs."

“Apron?” Tala grumbled.

Jia pointed to the bit of cloth hanging on the edge of the door, before rushing back out.

Tala begrudgingly picked herself up and quickly braided her hair, not bothering to tie the braid into Jia's signature bun. She grabbed an apron, still dirty from yesterday, and flipped it over to its clean side before tying it around herself, her hands fumbling as fast as she could.

“ _Well, at least it has a name now_ ,” she mumbled, in her native language. “ _Dumb word, too._ ”

Tala jumped when Jia rushed back into the room. She spoke so fast that Tala almost didn’t catch it, “Stop speaking that! Yuma will hear you!”

Jia grabbed the second pot of rice, hissing into Tala's ear when she passed, "You're late! Hurry up and grab the last pot!"

“Pot, pot!” Tala said, copying Jia as best she could, as she tried to remember the item with the name, quickly scanning over the stove.

Found it! Tala yanked the pot from the stove quickly, but then paused. A cold chill ran up her back. _He_ could be there.

She looked at the blue jacket still neatly folded up on her mat, from being used as her pillow for the night.

"Tala!" Jia shouted from the hallway.

"Sorry!" Tala called back. She ran while struggling to keep the lid on the large pot in her arms, racing to get to the dining hall.

* * *

  
  
The dining hall was brimming with men, their shouts and excited chatter flooding Tala's ears. About twenty other girls were already buzzing about, passing out bowls of eggs and rice. Tala was stiff as a board, practically clinging to the wall, in the hopes that she was too small to be noticed so that Yuma would not call her out to serve the tea, which was to be placed out next.

Jia was beside her, calmly and obediently leaning against the wall as she awaited orders. Tala snuck a peek up at Jia from the corner of her eye. She was staring down, being sure not to make eye contact with anyone walking past.

Jia's eyes were hard and her jaw was rigid. Tala could tell that something was wrong. She wanted to comfort her, and nearly lifted her hand to touch hers, but thought better of it. They could not be friends. It was safer for both of them that way, especially since Tala’s powers would only continue to grow.

Tala balled her hand into a fist, pushing down the urge to feel sorry for herself. It didn't matter how she felt. Jia was the only person who cared about her in this place. Tala would _not_ let herself accidentally hurt such a kind person.

"Tea!" called Yuma. "Girls in the front, go."

Jia was the first out of the line to pry herself from the wall, and marched into the back room to grab a tea kettle and a tray of cups. Tala watched her go, wishing that she could just talk to Jia, to let her know that Tala's coldness wasn't any fault of hers, but she just couldn't. Minor speaking abilities aside, Tala could not risk blowing her cover. She was more afraid of dying than she was of losing her only friend.

"I said girls _in front_ , Little Rat," snarled Yuma, whacking Tala upside her head. "Make yourself useful!"

Tala felt Jia’s hand on her shoulder. Tala tensed at the touch, despite it being so gentle. She hadn’t noticed Jia had returned.

“Ma’,” said Jia, “she may understand a lot, but you need to speak slowly for her to get it. You’re speaking far too fast, and it’s really loud in here.”

“She has to learn,” Sow Face snapped. “I have no patience for it. The Masters will have my head, if I don’t get you girls out there on time! The men can’t wait!”

Tala looked from Sow Face to Jia, trying not to panic. She really couldn’t understand them, this time. Sow Face looked a bit terrifying as she and Jia talked loudly back-and-forth, until finally Jia spoke again at a pace Tala could pick up.

“I’ll have her follow me. Is that alright, or would you rather her go back to the kitchen?”

Sow Face softened a little, and looked at Tala.

“No, no,” she said, “I can’t have her messing up the food. Just take her, but I expect a quicker pace tomorrow. I will put it on you if she’s slow, Jia. Understand that one, Little Rat?”

Tala nodded, shrinking into herself. Jia squeezed her shoulder.

Sow Face snatched a tray from one of the passing girls, shooing her off to get another before the other maid could complain. She placed the tray into Tala’s hands. Her meaty palm was surprisingly soft when she lead Tala away from Jia.

“Go on, now,” Sow Face grumbled.

Tala fought the irresistible urge to glare at Yuma, but did as she was told. She felt lucky that the tray Sow Faced Yuma handed her was one of the smaller teapots. Tala hoped it meant that she could serve it out quickly, then have to go back and get a new one before she could to run into Chase Young again.

Jia held a tray of empty cups as she passed Tala, and said, "Get that table."

Jia pointed at the one furthest from the kitchen, and Tala followed it with her eyes. Everything within Tala stopped when she saw who was staring at her from across that table, and three rows to the left. There he was, Chase Young, his glare nearly smoldering at her between the shifting bodies of the boys sitting between them. In the chaos of the dining hall, his was the only space that was still.

“Do you understand, Tala?” Jia’s voice cut through her panic.

Tala nodded, her head feeling like a bolder balancing on a chopstick. The cups and pot rattled in Tala’s hands, eyes not once leaving Chase’s table. Jia nudged between Tala’s stiff shoulders with an elbow.

"Go on, then," she said, "unless you want to do the third table down. No one has served that one yet, either."

"No," answered Tala, "I will do."

“You’re getting better,” Jia said, her compliment falling flat with her annoyed expression. “Keep practicing. Maybe you’ll be able to speak full sentences soon… Did you understand that?”

Tala nodded.

“Sorry,” she said, dipping her head slightly with a half-hearted bow before scurrying off.

Tala shuffled toward her assigned table, the pot and tea cups rattling as she shook. The boy Tala served laughed at some clever joke his friend had just said, and the others around him joined in. Even with the rather large boy braying like a donkey in her ear, Tala could not be distracted from the feel of Chase's stare at her back. She prayed that she could get through this quickly.

"Tala,"

Tala jumped at Jia’s touch on her shoulder. Tala turned to see that she was holding three trays- one on her shoulder, in the crook of her arm, and the last on her flat palm- each perfectly balanced with empty tea cups. She looked even angrier than before.

"You might have to get the third table, after all. Ma's just run Xu Mei off for breaking a pot again, so I'm stuck hitting her tables."

"Yes!" Tala said brightly, when Jia handed her a newly filled pot. She could not remember what a ‘Xu Mei’ was, but figured it didn’t matter.

Tala swallowed down all of her instincts to run away and walked toward Chase's table, keeping her eyes to the floor. She began at the end, and with each cup she filled with the steaming tea, her heart pounded faster. Tala's feet were like lead.

She started to shake when she got to Chase’s seat. The tea splashed over the rim of the tiny cup in her hand as Tala poured. She tried desperately to avoid looking at him, the pulse in her ears throbbing.

Tala nearly jumped, when he reached up and grabbed her hand. Chase helped her to pour the rest of the tea into his serving, before taking it from her and placing it in front of his rice bowl.

"Thank you," he murmured.

Tala’s eyes flickered up and met his. His mouth had been a hard line that relaxed into a smile when she looked at him. The relief in his eyes, lighting them up with shine when they looked at each other, made her heart sink.

 

* * *

  
Tala stared down at the blue jacket in her lap, rubbing the hem of its sleeve between her finger and thumb as she worked up the courage, telling herself that the sooner she got this over with the better. Hopefully returning the jacket to Chase Young would help him to forget her as simply a strange little girl, at best. She was just a kitchen maid after all, and he could pass off what he saw the night before as a silly dream.  

‘Please just let him think it a dream,’ she begged the jacket, silently. ‘Let him forget about me.’

She felt the fabric give way to her thumb, and looked down at the sleeve. There was a hole in it. A rather large hole. Tala had not noticed it last night, because the jacket had been so big on her.

She reached under her mat to pull out her sewing needle, though it was technically borrowed from Jia to mend her winter dress, and pinned it to the sleeve. Tala groped around for the thread she had also borrowed, but seemed to have misplaced.

"Are you looking for this?"

Tala's spirit sank when she heard Jia's voice, and reluctantly faced her. Jia was holding the thread spool that Tala had borrowed from her on the flat of her palm. She looked about as amused as Tala felt, a sour pucker to her lips sharpening the curves of her face even further.

"Yes," Tala admitted, "Sorry. Need…”

Tala guiltily held up the jacket. “…Don’t want mean Yuma… Sorry."

The lie was patchy, but thankfully believable. Jia's eyes softened, but the anger in her face did not change. She held the spool out for Tala to grab.

"Just be faster with your duties next time," said Jia, a harsh sigh billowing out of her words, "and I'd wish you would talk to me. You have been avoiding me for weeks!"

"Sorry, do not speak," said Tala, accepting the spool.

"That's it, then," said Jia, accusingly. “Are you even going to try?”

"No blame for Jia."

"I'm glad we agree," she snapped. With one last baleful look before turning to leave, she added, "And don’t you dare blame it on being a slow learner! We both know you picked up sewing and cooking quick enough. Why not this? I teach you words every day!"

Tala flinched, angrily agreeing with her on the inside, and not knowing what to say in her defense, even if she didn’t. Not eloquently enough, anyway.

_‘_ It doesn’t matter,’ Tala told herself, her throat tightening. ‘It doesn’t matter! It doesn’t matter! It’s better this way. If she’s mad, she’ll avoid you. She will be safe! It’s fine!’

Jia growled, tossing her hands into the air when Tala just sat there, seething in silence. She turned on a heel. “Just be sure to put that thread and needle back when you're done.”

"Jia!" Tala called after her, but Jia was made deaf by her anger. She left without looking back.

Tala could only blame herself. She was the one who pushed Jia away, and now she was paying the consequences. After avoiding Jia for two weeks, and only bothering to speak a handful of words whenever they did see each other, it was a wonder it took this long for Jia to hate her. She deserved it.

Tala shook her head to be rid of her self pity. Looking down at the spool in her had, she hardened herself. It was a mistake letting Jia in even an inch closer than was necessary. Doing this was right! By letting Jia hate her, it kept Tala at a safe distance. She was mending the mistake of getting too close. It was lonely, but at least they were both in less danger.

With a sigh, she began working on the jacket. It was time to fix another mistake.

* * *

 

The heels of the grappling boys kicked up sand, spraying it everywhere in waves. One of the boys grunted when he landed on his back, flipped over by his adversary.

The Training Sands were still dusted in snow, the majority of it clustered around the high boulders in small piles. The boys' breath fogged as they tried catching it in the freezing air. Though it was cold and color flooded his cheeks, Chase could feel sweat tickle his back.

He smiled down at Guan, who was breathless and laughing.

"You must have it out for me, my friend," said the bigger boy, grinning from ear to ear.

Chase reached down, offering a hand to help him up.

"Have you had enough yet?" he asked, with his own grin.

Guan took his hand, their palms clapping with the enthusiasm.

"You're kidding," he said, pulling himself up, as Chase's weight anchored him. “If I want to catch up to you, Chase, then this is only the beginning.”

He rubbed at the back of his head, right where the shaved part of it met his long braid, and Chase winced with sympathy.

"Hope that doesn't bruise," he joked. "It'll look like you have a third eye on the back of your head."

"This head of mine is harder than a rock,” Guan joked. “I was not chosen to be the Warrior of Earth for nothing!”

Chase laughed, and Guan smiled a bit awkwardly. Then, he stopped smiling and stared beyond Chase.

"I think we have a visitor," said Guan, looking a bit confused.

"What?" asked Chase, turning. He felt a shiver of panic jump up into his chest when he saw that little girl waiting for them at the edge of the sands.

'What is she doing here?’ he thought, ‘She'll be caught!'

"Crap," he muttered, kicking up sand as he went to greet her.

The little maid appeared to get smaller as he approached. Her head sunk into her rigid shoulders. She did not look at Chase as he approached, but hugged the package that she was holding all the more tightly. She looked frightened, and she should have been. If Master Young were nearby, he would have reported the girl to Yuma, who was-quite frankly- not well known for her forgiveness or kindness.

Chase was about to angrily express this to her, but the little maid spoke up before he could.

"Honored Apprentice," she stuttered a little too loudly, "H-have.."

Tala held up the jacket. “Want give, Honored Apprentice.”

Oh right, his jacket. Chase wanted to turn the weird kid around and send her back, to tell her to think nothing of it, but she shoved it at him before he could say anything.

"Please, take," she insisted, her twittery voice trilling with a strange accent. "Big kind, thank you!"

Chase sighed and put it on. He had to admit he felt better wearing it, now that he had been in the cold without the extra layer.

He felt something nick his wrist and looked at the hem of his sleeve. There was a mend. It was a _bumpy_ mend, but the draft at least was no longer there to nip at his skin. He looked at the maid. _Tala_ , he thought her name was, if he remembered correctly. He assessed her carefully, memorizing her featured, and said, "You fixed my sleeve."

Tala kept her eyes to the ground, for once in their conversation not breaking conduct, and nodded stiffly.

Chase smiled. After their scrap last night, and her avoidance in the dining hall this morning, he'd thought Tala hated him. Maybe this was the opening Chase needed to be able to talk to her, to learn more about her magic. He had always been fascinated with the other arts, and this strange-speaking little girl could hold the answers to all of his questions. "Thank you."

Thank you, indeed. Chase now finally had the opportunity he was waiting for, but he would first need to find a way to gain her trust and worm his way into her world. And now, thanks to Tala's tiny act of kindness, he had an idea.  


* * *

  
Another whack to the head woke Tala up.

"Wake up," snapped Jia, "You have a visitor."

Tala glared at her, rubbing the ear Jia had just boxed, and groggily pulled herself from the mat.

Jia tossed one of the cleaner frocks at her and said, "Put that on quickly, before they see you."

"Yuma ask?" asked Tala, pulling the dress over her head.

"No."

"Who-"

Tala pulled her blanket up quickly when Chase walked in, accompanied by another kitchen girl. The other maid had a smile so broad that Tala thought her face might rip in half.

"I'm sorry," said the maid, who Tala could barely understand through her bubbly giggling, "but the Honored Apprentice insisted on coming in."

“ _Xu Mei_!” Jia hissed through her teeth, trying not to yell with a warrior present. “She’s not ready, yet!”

Tala realized in that moment what a Xu Mei was, and decided that she didn’t like it.

Tala glared at Xu Mei, who’s smile faltered a little when she noticed, but then it sharpened a little when she looked back at Jia. The two shared a knowing glance, though Jia’s glance was with a deep, disapproving frown, while Xu Mei’s was with a thin smile, edging on the side of mischievous.

Chase came in behind Xu Mei, holding a bundle of clothes in his arms with a bright smile on his face.

"I need these all mended," he told her, dumping them all onto Tala's lap, "and since you did so well with my jacket, I've decided to ask for your help again. Please get them done quickly."

Tala began to protest, but a quick glare from Jia reminded her of the protocol. She lowered her eyes, clenching her jaw against wanting to yell at him.

"...Will do as you ask,” Tala grumbled, wringing one of the shirts' sleeves between her hands.

Jia, from behind him, looked slightly impressed. She almost smiled, with her hands resting on her hips the same way Mama’s used to when scolding Tala for getting too muddy after playing. Tala blushed a little, but both her and Jia’s half-smiles disappeared when Chase spoke.

"I'll come back to check on your progress," said Chase, still grinning expectantly.

Tala could feel the skin of her hands burning. She took a breath to calm down, and though she felt more in control, the heat still pulsed through her palms. She clenched the cloth between them more tightly.

'Leave soon,' Tala begged inwardly.

Her prayers were answered. With an awkward nod and an even bigger smile, Chase made his departure with Xu Mei close behind him, still giggling like a chittering monkey.

"So," said Jia with a sly smile, once Chase and Xu Mei were out of earshot, "it was _his_ jacket you had to repair, huh?"

Tala threw herself onto her back with a frustrated groan to answer her. Jia laughed, holding her belly and rocking back.

"Well, no one said gaining favor from a Dragon Apprentice would make things easier," said Jia, kneeling down to gather up the clothes now sprawled upon Tala's chest.

Tala shot up, letting the clothes Jia had yet to pick up fall back into her lap.

“Chase, _Xiaolin Dragon_?" she squealed, in disbelief.

"He's not a Dragon yet. None of them are," said Jia. Then with a playful whack to Tala's shoulder added, "And don't tell me that you had no idea about it! _Everyone_ knows who the Xiaolin Apprentices are!"

Tala inched closer to Jia, eager to hear more.

"Which?" she asked, eyes bright with enthusiasm.

"Fire," answered Jia. "The Keeper of Passion. He is also Master Young's son, and the favorite to become leader of the Dragons, someday. Chase Young is by far the one of the three with the greatest skill. Possibly even the strongest Dragon Apprentice we’ve had in centuries, since the first Xiaolin Dragons, or so the rumors go."

" _Aitai_ ," Tala sighed, running her thumb over the fabric of a blue shirt.

Jia leaned in, eyes bright. Her smile was back, almost as if she was never mad at Tala. “What does _that_ mean?”

Tala perked up. “Oh…”

Tala twisted her hands in the air, trying to think of a word. “Like…”

Tala threw herself back onto the floor dramatically, “UGH!”

Jia looked a little confused, even worried, until Tala picked her head up.

“Right?” she asked, with a shrug.

“Ohhhh,” Jia said, nodding happily. “I like it!”

Tala groaned, covering her eyes with both hands, ignoring the sounds of Jia trying to pronounce _Aitai_ over and over in a silly sing-song, and getting the tones wrong every time.

‘A Xiaolin Dragon Apprentice?’ Tala’s thoughts screamed. ‘Why him?! _WHY ME?!_ As if things weren’t terrible enough!’

This was not good news. It meant that if Tala were discovered, it would be the word of a powerful Dragon Warrior, the darling of the Temple even, against hers: a dangerous witch, who could hardly speak their language. Tala’s voice would be dwarfed by his, quite literally, whether she was telling the truth or not.

"Have you fallen for him?" teased Jia, her eyes crinkling with delight. “Xu Mei must think herself a matchmaker, now!”

"Never!" Tala shouted, throwing a shirt at Jia, who screeched with laughter.

"I wouldn't mind if you did," giggled Jia. "All of the girls are woefully in love with the Dragon Apprentices, and Chase Young has the popular vote, much to Ma's grievance. Whenever he comes to this side of the Temple, none of the girls get any work done."

Tala peeked at Jia, red faced, from between her fingers. "You love?"

"No," answered Jia, picking up one of the pants in her lap to begin sewing, "None of the Temple men are my type."

"I’ll do," Tala said, reaching to grab what was in Jia’s hands, but Jia pulled it away from Tala's reach.

"You can't do all of these clothes on your own," she said, making it clear that this was the last word on the subject.

Tala felt guilty, especially with the way she had been behaving. And though Jia was still attempting to form a bond with her, Tala needed to cut it off no matter how much she wanted their friendship to flourish.

"Jia-"

"No."

"Not friends."

Jia pretended not to hear her, and kept on sewing.

"Jia," insisted Tala, flatly, "Not. Friends. No _help_ me. Not use your time."

Jia shrugged her shoulders.

"I know you're lying," she said.

"Jia,"

"Tala," Jia snapped back, looking at her, " _you_ are the one wasting your time...I _think_ . We are in the same sector. You are not getting rid of me, so enough trying. What are you so afraid of? Why will you not at least _try_ to talk to me?"

Tala shook her head. "Not yet."

"No speak?” Jia mocked. “Don’t give me that. You were doing pretty great, when the Honored Apprentice asked you to med these clothes! You spoke a a full sentence! ...Well, mostly one. You said more than two words, at least.”

Tala looked away shyly, playing with her hair. She felt bad for wanting to ask Jia to slow down again.

“Not yet,” she quietly repeated.

“When you figure it out, tell me," said Jia. “You still can't finish these alone, so I'll help you. Maybe I can teach you a few more words, while we’re at it."

Tala sighed, smiling. She picked up a jacket. “What is word?”

Jia took it from her hands. “A jacket.”

“Ajakat,”

“No.” clipped Jia. “A… _Ja_ -cket.

Tala quietly repeated, “A Jacket.”

Jia grabbed both of Tala’s hands. “Yes!”

Tala yanked her hands back, quickly. She frantically searched around her to find another item. “What is word….This!”

Tala held up a white shirt, stained with dirt and smelly enough to make her nose crinkle up.

Jia laughed, holding her nose. “Disgusting!”

“Disg- disg…” Tala tried to roll the word around in her mouth, but it just fell flat, and died at the back of her throat. “Huh?”

“Dis-gust-ing.” Jia said, using her hands to separate each syllable.

Tala repeated after her.

“A little faster this time,” Jia prompted. “ _Disgusting_.”

“Disgusting!” Tala chirped, then fell into a fit of giggles. “Honored Apprentice.. Has.. Disgusting!”

Jia’s laugh burst like a very ugly bubble. “Oh-ho-my- No, no, sweetie, don’t say that!”

Tala pointed to the shit, now dropped between them. “Disgusting.”

She pointed to the jacket, also laying between them. “Ajacket.”

Tala looked up at Jia. “Right?”

Jia nodded, and pointed to the shirt.

“Disgusting,” said Tala, twisting the word around with her tongue. It felt so strange.

Jia pointed to the jacket.

“Ajacket!” Tala chirped, happily.  

“No, Tala,” said Jia, “ _just_ jacket. Try again.”

Jia pointed to the jacket.

“Jacket!”

Jia pointed to another shirt, and Tala tossed her hands into the air. “Disgusting!!”

“Wait,” Jia said. “Hold on, do you think the _shirt_ is disgusting, or do you think the shirt is _called_ disgusting?”

All of Tala’s triumphant feelings deflated. “ _Aitai!”_

Jia held up the new, cleaner shirt. This one was a light blue. “Shirt.”

“Sh-i-rt.” Tala said, bobbing her head to get the sound right.

Jia held up the jacket.

“Jacket!”

The blue shirt came next.

“Shirt!”

Jia held up the dirty, white shirt.

“Disgusting?” Tala asked, now unsure, “...Shirt?”

Jia smiled. “You got it!”

Tala sighed with relief. Quietly, she said, fighting a smile,, “Honored Apprentice has disgusting.”

They both burst out laughing, rolling on the floor. They stayed like this for most of the night, sewing  clothes, and joking with each other. It reminded Tala of home, long, long before losing her sister to fever, or losing Mama to men. She felt safe by the candle the two shared.

As they smiled, exchanging words and laughing at the worse ones, Tala began to think that maybe, just maybe, it would be okay to have just _one_ friend in this strange and awful place.

* * *

 

Chase came back every day with a new bundle of clothes to mend. And though Jia had every intention to help her with the sewing, Chase would always find some excuse to run Jia out of the room, leaving him and Tala alone.

The excuse for today, though Tala took note that he had used it three times already, was for Jia to prepare some tea. Chase, meanwhile, was sitting smugly in a chair opposite of Tala's mat, smiling at her as she re-mended the same shirt he had brought in twice last week.

"How _t-tear_ shirt...more?" grumbled Tala, nipping the end of the string to finish the stitch.

"Training," said Chase, folding his arms and relaxing. "We must do the same exercises every day in order to perfect them. Ripping my clothes in the same spot shouldn't surprise you."

"Not know," Tala spoke through her teeth and kept her eyes on the pocket she was now working on, trying her hardest not to become angry, "Sorry, Honored Apprentice."

"You don't have to call me that, you know," said Chase with a pleasant smile, "I don't care. I know it’s hard for you to speak so formally."

"You care not, Honored Apprentice," she answered, "but I to be as- what is word?”

“You’re a maid?” he suggested.

Tala nodded, not looking up from her work.

“Maid,” she echoed. “Maid shows respect, right?"

"Ugh, enough," he growled. "We have been dancing around this for weeks! You and I both know what needs to happen, and it's time to discuss it."

Tala could taste her own heartbeat. She looked at him, her throat running dry. "What?"

"You know what I'm talking about," he said with a grin. "Don't play dumb, Brave Girl."

“No,” said Tala. “Speak slow.”

Chase puffed air out of the side of his mouth.

“Look, I _know_ that you understand more than you lead on,” he said. “ Drop the act, already.”

“Act?” Tala squeaked.

“I’m talking about your…”

Chase whipped around to see if anyone was in the doorway behind him, or coming in from the side door. When the coast was clear, he cupped his hands over his mouth and whispered, _“Magic_.”

Tala wrung the shirt in her her hands. “Why not tell Master?”

“It’s _Masters_ , though I think you mean Elders,” said Chase with a light chuckle, "and it’s because I want to know something."

"What?" she asked.

Chase smiled. "Everything."

Jia returned then, and placed the tea onto the counter beside Chase. She poured him a cup silently, eyes flickering to Tala then back to her task.

"Thank you," Chase told her. "You may leave now. Tala can pour it, if I want more."

Jia gave Tala a worried glance, but they both knew that there was no choice. A warrior's order could not be broken, by any means.

"Yes, Honored Apprentice," she said, before leaving silently.

"Why do that?" demanded Tala, once Jia was gone. "Girl bad to speak with man too long! Whispers!"

"People are already talking by my just being here," he pointed out. "That’s what you meant, right?”

Tala nodded, tensing her shoulders.

“People will _always_ talk,” said Chase. “It’s what they do. It doesn't matter."

"Yes, matters!” Tala hissed, “Bad idea!"

"And you won't have to worry about that," he answered, "so long as you keep doing as I say. Let me protect you."

"For to give... _everything_?"

"For being your friend," Chase corrected.  He then grumbled, “Also, it’s ‘I give you.’ Who’s teaching you this stuff?”

Tala shrugged.

“Not speak much,” she said. “Only to Jia. Usually wrong.”

“You can say some pretty formal words, though,” he said brightly. “I’d be impressed, if I could actually understand what you’re trying to say, half of the time.”

Tala shrugged again, looking back down at the shirt in her hands.

“Bad to speak,” she said. “Don’t like it.”

“Would it be easier to teach me your language?” he asked, leaning a bit closer.

Tala shook her head.

“No speak,” she said. “No teach. Bad idea.”

“Well, what you learned so far is good enough for a maid,” he said, “but you’ll drive me crazy if you don’t improve, so try this: You have a lot of good words, but don’t know how to use them. Listen to how I speak, and do your best to copy it.”

Tala grit her teeth together, nodding. Maybe if she tried it once, he’d be satisfied and leave.

“Look at me,” said Chase. “Look at how I’m forming the words. Say this: My name _is_ Tala.”

Tala sighed, trying not to look too annoyed. “My name.. _Is_?”

Chase smiled and nodded. “ Say it all together.”

“My name _is_ Tala,” she said.

“Okay, now, ‘I work _in_ the kitchens.’”

Tala repeated him, finding it a little easier this time.

“Good!” Chase beamed. “Now say, ‘I will teach Chase Young magic!’”

“Bad idea!” Tala cried.

She threw a shirt at him, and Chase laughed when he caught it.

“Worth a shot,” he said, shrugging.

Tala could almost be swayed by the genuine kindness in his eyes, but she was wary of him. She could tell that Chase Young was clever. There was something hidden, tucked away in the corner of his smile and at the edges of his laughter, that made Tala feel on edge.

Chase leaned forward, folding his hands, and smiled warmly.

"See?” he said. "That's all I want. I want to understand you."

"You bring, uh, _torn_ clothes," said Tala, slowly, "so to un-der-stand me? Speak right?"

“Close enough. Better, anyway,” said Chase. "I protect your secrets, you show me your secrets. Besides, it was the only way to talk to you without drawing too much attention. Not to mention, my clothes get to be fixed in the process."

There it was, the truth.

"Want magic," she concluded. "Why?"

"Just curious," he said, "I mean it. I've always wondered what it was like, and now I get to know."

"Because me."

"Because you," he echoed, fighting a smile. "Can you trust me to protect you?"

No, of course she couldn't.

Tala smiled and nodded. “Yes, good!”

Chase's smile broke genuinely into a happy sigh of relief.

"We're going to be great friends, Tala," he said. "I can feel it."

'No,' thought Tala, in spite of her agreeing smile, 'we aren't.’

* * *

 

Jia was asleep by the time Tala had reached the last article of clothing to sew for the night. She sighed when she ran her fingers along the shirt sleeve's hole, wondering how long it was going to take before she'd snap and kill that aggravating boy.

No, Tala would not let herself think that way. Papa would not have allowed it. But whenever she thought about Chase Young, she would get so angry. He was so arrogant!

" _Let me protect you,_ " she mumbled under her breath, mocking his dumb voice, like the way Mama used to about Papa. " _Pah_."

Tala was about to begin sewing, when she noticed something odd about the sleeve. It was a shirt she had fixed twice before- that was no surprise- but this time she noticed something about the tear that she hadn't the last two times it was mended. The hole was not jagged, but smooth and clean. Even the string Tala had used to stitch it appeared to have been neatly taken out.

Tala gasped, enraged heat rising into her face. The candle beside her flared along with it, startling her. Tala blew it out quickly, hoping Jia was not awakened by the sudden surge of light. She held still for a minute and listened for Jia's breathing in the darkness. It was steady and light. To Tala's immense relief, Jia was still dead asleep.

She could not see, but still had her thumb wrung through the hole. Tala brushed at the edge of the fabric. It _was_ smooth.

" _I knew it,_ " she whispered angrily to herself. " _I can't trust him!"_

He cut it.


	4. Chapter 4

Four_ Like The Wind 

Chase could not stop smiling. Finally, he would be able to experience magic first hand, instead of just having to read about it in the library scrolls. It would all be thanks to Tala. 

Sure, she was a little rough around the edges, and the poor girl had every right to be wary of people, but Chase knew that he could get her to trust him in no time. Just like all of the other girls, she'd fall for his charms, eventually. Nobody could resist a hero, especially not one so handsome as him. 

Besides, he never lied about wanting to be her friend. The kid had some spunk to her that he admired, but Chase couldn't deny what he wanted from Tala, either. He wanted her knowledge, her experiences. He dreamed of feeling fire flicker between his fingers, of flight, and seeing through the third eye. If Tala had the ability to do these things, or if she could even teach them to him, time would tell. Chase planned to be there to witness it all. It would be their little secret, and his best chance at becoming the greatest warrior to ever live.

"Your friend is back," said Guan sitting beside him on the bench. "If Master Young notices her-"

“It’s fine,” Chase groaned, “I got it.”

He turned around and glared at Tala, who was standing right at the edge of the sand ring. She was not too far off from the obstacle course, but far enough for Master Young not to notice her yet.

The minute Chase came within hearing distance, Tala snarled at him,"You cut it!"

Her usually subtle accent 

was thick with anger. She sounded like her mouth was full of rice mush, really.

“Disgusting,” she hissed. “You- you boy! Full of disgusting, bad!  _ Shatuy! _ ”

Jeez, he had no time or patience to even attempt at translating that one.

"Don't you know how dangerous this is?" Chase snapped. "Do you have  _ any  _ idea what would happen to you, if you were caught sneaking around here? This is a restricted area full of spiritual energy! Only the Xiaolin Dragons and Apprentices can even step foot here! What are you doing?!"

Tala threw the shirt at him. 

"Doing this!" she answered, her strange accent like porridge, dripping like lava from her mouth. "Tricking boy! What is word? Dark letter?"

"Blackmail?" Is _ that _ what she thought he was doing?

Tala turned on her heel and walked off before Chase could explain, muttering, “Blackmail,  _ Shatuy,  _ disgusting!”

"Tala," he called after her, but knew better than to run her down. Oh well. At least she left before his father could notice. Chase would just have to find some way to straighten this out with her, later.   


* * *

 

Tala took another breath. She needed to relax.

She was meditating beneath her willow tree, trying to clear her mind. Too much stress meant a loss of control over her powers, and Tala could not afford to be any angrier with Chase. She felt unstable enough without a hand to guide her, as it was.

Tala liked meditating. It was more to her than just a way to keep her magic in check. All of her senses felt heightened whenever she closed her eyes and stilled her body. She could hear the whisper of the wind in the trees, and the sparrows still flying south, overhead. She could feel the cold nip her face with its sharp teeth, but she liked that. The bitterness of it on Tala's nose and cheeks kept her centered, in control.

But no matter how cold she felt, Tala’s hands ached with burning. Every time she closed her eyes, Chase's smug grin entered the forefront of her mind. She hated him!

It had been several days since she last saw Chase, and the fire in her hands had not yet subsided. She claimed being sick to get out of her chores, and to keep herself away from people, and snuck out once Jia had left the kitchen to hide here and try her best at calming down. This was the longest Tala's magic had been active. Even now, pins and needles bit at her palms and fingertips. 

To make matters worse, Tala could feel uneasiness crawl up her back. It was as silent and as slow as a spider on a windowsill, inching closer and closer to Tala's heart. In the back of her mind were whispers, telling Tala that she had made a mistake by confronting him.

Chase would tell the Elders in retaliation, and she would be killed. Tala hated to admit it, but she was afraid. She could hear the phantom screams of her mother, soon to be her own, at the back of her mind.

Chase would be there too, she knew. Would he watch her die? Would he be glad? 

The heat flared again at the thought of his arrogant face disappearing behind the flames. Orange flooded into Tala’s mouth, setting off panic. No! She could not release her magic like this!

" _ Stop thinking about him _ ," Tala growled, her whole body shaking from the held back power. " _ Calm down _ ."

"Don't fall in love with me, now-

Tala turned, spinning so fast that she was able to stand when she faced him.

Chase was smiling, laughing, even. Her hands were so hot, that they physically began to hurt. Tala's magic was begging to be released on this idiot.

"Want leave alone!" she shouted, dropping her language for his. 

"Hey, hey," said Chase, raising his hands in surrender while sauntering forward, "relax, I was kidding!"

"Don’t come," warned Tala. "Angry, bad idea, big angry!"

"Then, don't be angry," he said with a smooth smile. "Witches need to learn how to control their emotions, because it's the source of their power, right?"

"Mama said," she admitted, “but not- mean,  _ I _ can’t- This magic-”

Chase came a little closer. 

Tala raised her hands to his eye level, shouting, “No come!"

"Okay," he said, retreating a step, "I'll stay back."

"Why you here?" she demanded. "Why do you play with me?"

"I'm not," Chase snapped. He looked insulted, a sharp glare hardening his eyes. "I'm actually trying to help you!"

" _ Help _ me?" she cried. "By what? Scaring me to die?!"

"That's not how you-" Chase cut himself off and took a breath, his eyes softening. 

"Look," he said, "I'm sorry. I never meant to scare you, or make you mad. I just wanted to be your friend. That's it.”

"Don’t believe," said Tala, crossing her arms. "You wanted cut clothes!"

Chase rolled his eyes.

"I already told you," he explained, "it was the only way to talk to you while still drawing the least amount of attention. All I've done since we've met is try to protect you! Why can't you understand that?"

"Because you- you  _ dark letter _ !”

“Blackmail.”

“Not protecting at all," said Tala, “just mean! Very crawly!”

“That’s  _ not  _ how you say-Ugh!” Chase growled with frustration. “Nevermind!”

He took a deep breath, running his hands through his hair. 

"What else can I say?" he asked, desperately. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry, alright?"

“You scare me,” Tala said, looking at her hands. 

She clenched them. The heat began to subside, and after days of feeling on edge, Tala could finally feel her body relax. It left her feeling cold, but oddly satisfied.

"I'm sorry, Tala," said Chase, reaching out a hand to her, "I just want to help you. Can you let me do that?"

Tala stared at his hand. Chase smiled and with a shrug of his shoulders said, "I'll say it again a hundred times if I have to, but I'm not leaving until we decide to become friends."

Tala could not help but smile genuinely at his joke. However, the thought of letting him in was not a very tempting one, no matter how lonely she felt.

"Bad idea," she said. "Friends bad with me."

"Of course I do," he answered. “Come on, Brave Girl, would I really be sitting here, letting my fingers freeze, if I didn't? Not everyone is out to get you."

Tala felt her throat tighten. 

"Yes," she said, her full voice pushing past the stone. "Friends, then."

A voice from behind Chase boomed, "WHAT IS GOING ON, HERE?!"

Surprised, Tala's magic flooded her mouth with its orange taste. Her body radiated with heat in the split second before it rushed out of her, tossing Chase aside as easily as a leaf caught in the wind. He lay crumpled at the base of the willow, still and silent.

In his place stood a man dressed in white Masters' robes, his long hair pulled up halfway into a warrior's knot. His sharp features and bright eyes were a shocking similarity to Chase's, and Tala knew at once who he was: Master Keyota Young.

He rushed her, yanking at Tala's arm fiercely. 

"You will not escape, witch!" he snarled. 

The man's face was inches from hers. "Now lift your enchantment from my son or I swear to you, you will be begging for that fire!"

He hollered over his shoulder, "Guards! Someone call the guards! My son needs help!"

Maids had already flooded the gateway, poking their nosy heads in after hearing Master Young's yelling.

"Don't just stand there, like hens!" he shouted at them. "My son! Help my son!"

"And you," he snarled, looking back to Tala, his grip tightening. Tala could feel herself bruising under his fingers.

"You will unspell Chase," he said, tossing her toward the tree, "and then I shall bring you before the Council, and you will atone for your crimes!"

Tala fell onto her knees at Chase's head. 

" _ I knew I should never have trusted you, _ " she whispered to him, crying. " _ I'm so sorry, Chase! I never wanted to hurt you _ !"

Master Young grabbed Tala by the collar of her dress.

"Stop speaking that filth!" he ordered.

She instead kept on weeping, telling Chase that she was sorry.

“Your spells don’t affect me, witch!” Master Young snarled. “Stop cursing my son! Speak!”

Tala fell limp in his arms, dissolving into tears as she fell over. 

“Unbind him!” Master Young shouted, shoving Tala’s face into the dirt by the back of her neck. " _ Unbind him _ !"

"No!" she wailed, in common tongue. "Not know how!"

Master Young dragged Tala to her feet. 

"Then you have sealed your fate," he hissed into her ear. "Killing a man is punishable by death!"

* * *

  
  
Tala fell to the floor, her hands slapping against the polished jade. They stung, but the pain kept her in check when her magic flooded her mouth again, like orange bile. Tala focused on the pain of her hands, willing herself to hold on.

She was shocked by her own reflection, clear and clean like a mirror. Mangled hair spiderwebbed down her face, and peeking through it were her sleep-deprived eyes, bright silver and full of fear. The same as Mamma’s were, before they tied her to the stake.

" _ No _ !" she begged under her breath, the sharpness blurring under her tears. “ _ It can’t be like this! _ ’'

"Get up," hissed Master Young, pulling Tala to her feet by the rest of her braid, now loose and in a tangled mess. “Enough of your curses, monster!”

Tala clung to his hand at the top of her head, as Master Young dragged her forward.

“ _ Please don’t kill me! _ ” she cried, though she knew he could not understand. “ _ Please, I didn’t mean to hurt your son! I tried to warn him, but he wouldn’t leave me alone! I’m sorry, please! _ ”

“Silence!” he snarled, tugging on her hair, harshly. “The Council will decide your fate. Though, I already know what they will say.”

She cried out and clawed at his hands, struggling to break free, but Master Young tugged hard one last time, and Tala fell silent beside him, shaking. The fingers that were tangled in Tala’s hair were the only thing keeping her upright. 

Through the haze of Tala’s tears, the bright light of a hundred flickering candles stung her eyes. They burned against the darkness of the room, like stars. Under the glow, Tala could just barely see the shapes of men sitting along the edges of the jade circle pit, each one of them dressed in thick robes that spilled from their mats and over the ridges of the steps.

"What is the meaning of this, Master Young?" demanded one of them, his voice crackling like dead leaves. "Why have you interrupted our meditation?"

"There are more important things," snapped Master Young. "We have a witch in our midst."

Tala's vision began to clear as her tears dried, though the glow of the candles still darkened the faces of the Elders. One of them leaned forward, his bald head shining like the Jade Circle. 

"A witch," he said, with a raspy chuckle, "What has the child done? Has she floated an egg on water? Or enchanted the chickens to walk in rows, perhaps?"

"This," hissed Master Young, lifting Tala up to stand straight with a painful yank of her hair, "is no child! This monster has enchanted my son, and I fear for his life! For _ weeks  _ Chase has been acting strangely! He has been restless, eating very little at mealtimes, sneaking away from training at any chance, and _ then _ I find him with her."

He tossed Tala to the ground again, but this time she was unable to catch herself. Collapsing under her own weight, Tala was only just able to shield her face from the blow with the crook of her elbow.

She could not help crying, now. Tala cried so hard, that her entire body shook and shrank within itself. It was useless pleading for her life in  _ any _ language. They were going to kill her.

"And when I found them," continued Master Young, "this _ thing _ bashed my son against a tree to keep him from testifying against her, and spoke curses over him in a foreign language! One can only imagine what other evil deeds she has done."

There was silence after the echoes of Master Young's shouts had faded. Tala held her breath, struggling to calm herself.

"Possession," mused the laughing one, his voice now grave with suspicion."How can a child be so powerful?"

"I do not know," admitted Master Young, "but I know what I have seen. This creature in child's skin is a monster that must be destroyed."

"Do you have any proof that Chase Young was possessed by this girl?" a slow, steady voice from the shadows asked.

Tala lifted her head, heart pounding with hope.

All of the Elders turned to see who had spoken. Out from the shadows, his robes dyed the royal color of red, stepped forth the Xiaolin Temple's Grand Master Wei. 

His white beard flowed to the ground, dusting the golden hem of his robe. Like in ancient paintings, the Grand Master's earlobes had been stretched so long that they brushed his shoulders, and the almost mystical way his eyes sparkled when he met Tala's eye, spoke of his sagely wisdom. He smiled a little at her, reminding Tala to turn her gaze down quickly. She did not want to displease such a powerful man.

"She tried to kill my son," insisted Master Young, making Tala cringe. "With all do respect, Grand Master, I saw her throw him against a tree with her magic! I do not even know of his condition! Chase could be dead!"

"While it is true that this is indeed a tragedy," the Grand Master answered, lifting a palm away from the scroll box he was carrying, in order to soothe Master Young, "your judgement, Master Young, has been clouded by your love for the boy. You and I know very well that nothing is as it first seems."

"Forgive me, Grand Master," interrupted one of the Elders, "but the law clearly states that the girl must be punished in any other case, witch or not- she still attacked a man and dishonored him. We must deal with her, accordingly."

"And what would you have us do, Master Honghui," snarled another from across the room, "burn her alive, and make an example of this child?"

"Yes!" he answered, sharply. "The law is the law, and it must be abided. We are not all as woman-hearted as you, Master Yaozu. Some of us still look to our minds for reason."

Tala looked from this Elders to the Grand Master, barely keeping up with the conversation. She didn't like the looks on their faces, regardless. 

"You wish to snuff out the life of a frightened child, Master Honghui," said Grand Master Wei, quietly. "Does that make us any better than the Heylin?"

The echoes of the Grand Master's retort filled the room with a whisper.

_ Heylin _ . Tala knew that word! That was one of Mama’s words. It brought back a memory, vague and fleeting, of her mother's stories about their homeland.

"Whether the girl is innocent or not," continued Grand Master Wei, "is not my concern. But as Grand Master of this Temple, I must oversee all matters of the Council. This is my unrivaled decree: This child is not to be harmed, regardless of Master Young's testimony."

"What?!" shouted Master Young, leading the entire chamber in a chorus of protests.

Tala’s hands flew to her ears, and she pressed her nose to the ground, sobbing.

"She is dangerous!” Master Young said, once the room began to settle again. “We do not know what her magic is capable of!"

The men began to argue with each other, some siding with the Grand Master, as the head of Council, and others calling for Tala's head, as decreed by the law.

"What is dangerous," said Grand Master Wei loudly enough to bring order back to the room, "can also be tamed and made passive,"

Then, with a nod at Tala and an encouraging smile, he added, "with the proper tools and teaching."

"What is your interest in this witch?" demanded Master Young. "Why spare this one's life, when you have burned countless others in your own time?"

He looked to Master Young with a sharp eye, and answered, "I have reason to believe that this child has a higher calling, one that can shape the course of history, should we train her correctly."

Tala looked at him blatantly now, too shocked by his words to remember her place. She held her breath to keep her teeth from rattling, though her hands shook all the same.

"Dojo," called the Grand Master. 

The scroll box in his hands opened and out of it slithered the most peculiar snake Tala had ever seen.

His scales were as green as the jade floor. A red beard, the same vibrancy as his master's robes, bobbed beneath his chin. Atop the snake’s head were two strange crests that curled, then fanned out like wings behind the bony ridges of his eyes. But the oddest thing about him were his arms: thin and unnatural, with talons sharper than any knife she had ever seen, rounding out at the end of his paws. Held between them was the scroll itself, large and just barely gripped by the creature it dwarfed.

"At your service, Grand Master Wei," he said, curling his lips back into a comical smile.

"You know what to do," Grand Master Wei told him. 

Dojo's smile widened, and he dropped the bottom half of the scroll, letting it trail out until it rested at Tala's hands with a light tap.

Tala looked at what was printed on it, but did not understand. They were just characters- men's letters. They meant nothing to her. The only symbols she recognized were the four elements, but even there she had trouble discerning which was meant for what.

The men, however, fell so silent that the room itself grew still.

"How can this be?" gasped Master Young, his face paling.

Master Young looked at Tala, his throat bobbing. His eyes were not filled with the fire of anger. That fire had been doused to coals, the smoke of distrust still lingering around them, though Tala could not understand the meaning why.

"You may rise, young lady," said the Grand Master. "Get to your feet. Quickly, now."

Tala did as she was told, though her limbs were weak and shaking. The Elders each began to slowly bow to her, one-by-one in the circle, until Master Young himself gave a swift, rigid bow of his own.

"My child," said the Grand Master, kindly. "Do you know what those characters say, down near your feet?"

Tala shook her head. "No, Grand Master," she whispered, her throat too dry from crying to make a proper sound.

He smiled, and with a small dip of his head and a sweep of his hand said, "It is your name.”

* * *

Chase jolted awake. He felt his breath rush back into him, surging his body with energy. He looked down at his hands, catching his breath. Gripping the sheets covering his legs, Chase realized that he must have been in the Medicine Suite.

"They're going to kill her, you know."

Chase whipped his head over to see a maid sitting in a chair beside the doorway, glaring at him. It was her, that girl who lived with Tala in the kitchens.

The maid’s lips were puckered with a disapproving frown. Her dark eyes were murderous.

"Is that what you wanted," she asked, accusingly, "to have Tala killed?"

"What are you talking about?" he demanded. "What happened?"

"You don't know?" the maid asked. "She was caught. Because of you."

Chase’s heart skipped, his stomach dropping. Bile rushed right back up with realization and anger. He glared right back at the maid. 

" _ Wait _ \- Did _ you  _ know about Tala?"

The maid shrugged.

"I figured it out around the same time that you began showing up," she admitted. "I was just waiting for her to tell me. She’s not as sneaky as she thinks she is."

Chase balled his fists. "Why didn't you go to the masters?"

The maid snarled, "Why didn't  _ you _ ?"

"I was trying to protect her," snapped Chase.

"No," she spat back, "that's what  _ I  _ was doing! All you did was get Tala killed!"

"You better watch your mouth, woman," said Chase. "Know your place. You are lucky that I care for Tala, or I would have slapped you for talking in defiance."

"If you care for her," she answered, "go save her. The Elders may have given their verdict already, but the voice of a Xiaolin Dragon in training could possibly stop them long enough to hear the truth. You and I both know that she didn't attack you."

This was his fault. If Chase had just talked to Tala outright about his plan instead of hiding the incisions in his clothes, this would never have happened. That little girl was now going to be vilified, and even killed, because of his negligence. Chase shuddered at the thought. "Who knows?"

"Everyone."

"How many days has it been?"

"One," answered the maid, "but you know how rumors spread. Talk is like wildfire."

Chase jumped out of his bed, and raced for the door. He was about to run out, when she pulled on his shirt. 

"One last thing," she told him.

He glared down at the maid. "What?"

"You need your coat," she said, pulling it out from under her chair, and handing it to him. "They won't take you seriously in those night clothes."   
  


* * *

  
The Elders had spent the past twenty-four hours discussing what to do about the revelation the Grand Master had received about the little witch. By all right accounts, Tala should have been executed, branded a monster and an enemy to all of China, but here she was sitting on a small mat in the jade-lined hall, drinking tea with the most powerful man in the Xiaolin Temple, awaiting their decision.

Grand Master Wei winked down at her when she snuck a peek at him, and Tala quickly looked away, politely. She traced the bottom edge of her cup with her finger, a little more than wary of the Grand Master and his strange kindness.

"Do not be afraid, young one," he told her, leaning down to talk into Tala's ear. His breath held a hint of mint and honey. "Death no longer has his sights on you. The Elders only want what is best for our Temple, and in this moment, that is you."

"Me?" she whispered.

"Yes," he chuckled. "Whether they wish to believe it or not! Either way, they must accept."

'Accept what?' she thought. 

Tala still knew nothing of what had occurred with the scroll. Her name was in it, and that frightened the Masters, but that was all she knew.

"Grand Master," said Tala, "why- how to say- _ Fenhai _ ."

“ _ Why was your name in the scroll _ ?” he asked, brightly. 

Tala’s blood ran cold when she realized what language he spoke. Tala looked at the Grand Master dead in his face, eyes wide. 

“ _ You speak _ -”

The Grand Master nodded, his beard bobbing with his widening smile.

“ _ It is known as Wupoyisho, according to the ancient scrolls _ ,” he said, the familiar words flooding Tala with relief.

“ _ Witch’s words _ ?” Tala asked, her nose scrunching up. 

“ _ Not very subtle, or fair, I agree _ ,” he said. 

“ _ I only know it as Mama’s words. She called it.. Called it. _ .” Tala’s heart sank, realizing that she could not remember.

Tala pressed a hand to her stomach, feeling sick.

‘I’m already starting to forget!’ she thought, throat tightening. 

“ _ It’s your mother tongue?”  _ said the Grand Master, startling Tala a little with his enthusiasm.  _ “Interesting! I recognized it, instantly. Though, a little girl should not be using such a harsh word in front of her elder _ .”

Tala looked away, suddenly realizing her rudeness.

” _Jo,_ _Forgive me_ ,” she said, dropping to formal tones, “ _Had I realized_ -”

The Grand Master chuckled. 

“ _ No harm done _ ,” he said, gingerly sipping from his tea cup. “ _ I learned it during my studies as a young scholar. I wanted to learn more about the Heylin, and have learned several other languages of theirs, besides. There is rich knowledge in scrolls, but there is a far richer experience in learning from people, don’t you agree? _ ”

Tala swallowed hard. “ _ Jo _ , _ Grand Master, yes, but do you know why the scroll had my name in it _ ?”

" _ Ah, the lucky honorific _ ,” he said, dryly. “ _ I feel blessed, already. Yet, you speak sharply, child _ .”

Tala quickly pressed her forehead to the ground. " _ Jo _ ,  _ Forgive me! I just wanted to know _ !"

" _ No _ ," he said, with a smile, " _ to ask is to learn and to learn is to thrive. Never be ashamed of wanting to understand. The greatest minds speak clearly, and never dance around their questions. You, my dear, have the makings of a scholar in you, not unlike myself, at your age _ ."

" _ Jo, pardon my rudeness, Grand Master _ ," she said, sitting back up, carefully folding her hands respectfully, " _ but, my name _ ?"

Grand Master Wei laughed.

" _ Oh, yes _ ," he said, heartily, "a _ nd you are  _ _ persistent, _ _ too! Be smart, Tala. Don't let the answers get away from you. Now, to answer your question-  _ _ Well _ _ , you will understand shortly _ ."

As he said this, the doors to the Jade Circle opened, the ornate golden dragons on each door unlatching their claws from one another, as they swung wide. 

"It appears that the Elders have come to a decision." said the Grand Master, switching back to his native tongue. 

He took Tala's tea and placed it on the tray beside him with his own cup, saying, “Stand with me."

Tala kept time with him, careful not to stand before he could rise. Tala's fingers tapped against her thumbs. She counted them- one, two, three, four; one, two, three, four- over and over to keep from focusing on her shaking legs and the heat in her palms.

A eunuch came from the darkened doorway and ushered them in. Tala wondered how she could walk, being so nervous. She thought she might vomit, but the presence of Grand Master Wei walking beside her grounded Tala in the moment and out of her head, where fear could bite at her.

"Have you come to a decision?" asked the Grand Master, as he and Tala sat on the two mats placed in front of them before the Council.

"Yes," answered Master Yaozu. "It has been decreed by law that as a witch, the girl must die, and in light of the Scroll's revelation, we hereby announce that Tala Bao, charged with the crime of witchcraft, is-"

Light flooded in from the hall as someone burst in. 

"Stop!" shouted the person who entered. "She is innocent! Stop everything!"

Tala shielded her eyes from the light, and though she could not see him, she knew that voice well. "Chase?"

"What is the meaning of this outburst, Chase Young?" shouted one of the Elders, rising to his feet.

"Tala Bao is innocent!" Chase insisted, running in to stand beside Tala. "She didn't attack me! She's just a little kid who's scared! She didn't mean to hurt me!"

"The Elders still have yet to reach a verdict," said the Grand Master, calmly. "I invite you to sit down with us to hear it. I am sure your friend would appreciate the company."

He said this, gesturing to the eunuch to bring another mat for Chase. He quickly placed it beside Tala.

"I-" Chase choked. "Forgive me for my hysterics, Grand Master. I did not realize-"

"You are forgiven," he interrupted. "You are your father's son, after all. Please take your seat, and we shall speak no more of it."

Chase bowed to the Grand Master, but Tala winced inwardly with sympathy at the unsubtle insult. 

His jaw was set with reluctance, but Chase did as he was told.

"Hey," he whispered to Tala as he sat down, "that was embarrassing, huh?"

Tala ignored him and turned her attention to the men who had decided her fate. Master Yaozu smiled warmly, the folds of his long face and sagging neck reminding Tala of a tortoise. 

"May I continue with the verdict, Grand Master?" he asked patiently.

Grand Master Wei waved a hand in dismissal. Master Yaozu nodded, his smile kind. Looking to Tala, he said, "Tala Bao, over the remainder of the day and the course of the night we, the Council of Elders, have come to conclude that you are here by… free."

Tala's heart stopped. She was unsure if she had heard him correctly. It made no sense to her. The word sounded made up. 

"And that is not all," added Grand Master Wei, rising to his feet. "I have come to find that you are very special, young one."

"How?" she wondered. Tala could feel her face grow ugly with the threat of bawling. "Free how?"

"I did not believe what Master Young had testified against you," answered Master Yaozu, his shoulders shaking from the strain of craning his neck."Several of us did not, in fact. You have divided our Council, young lady. And though some of us may use our minds,  _ I  _ know better to use my sense.”

Master Honghui grumbled at the jab bitterly, and a few of the other Elders tsked along in agreement.

“I have seen many witches burned under our verdict, and none looked any bit as sorry as you did lying on that floor, crying your eyes out for a boy you might have killed,” Master Yaozu continued. “If you were truly a witch, you would have been glad. Boastful, even!"

Tala shook her head with disbelief. He spoke too fast for her to understand most of what he said, but it didn’t matter. Tala understood the important thing: They didn’t think she was a witch, and she wasn’t doing to die. Tala felt weak, her stomach sloshing like cold porridge, after she finally unclenched it. 

Tala felt Chase's eyes on her. Out of the corner of hers, she could vaguely see a frown on his face. She swallowed, and looked back up to Master Yaozu, who nodded at her encouragingly. 

"Witches cannot hide their joy at another's pain," explained another Elder. "It is how many have been caught. A witch may be able to lie, but she cannot when it comes to murder. Her magic is designed to harm, and when she succeeds in such a deed, she becomes exultant."

"In ancient times," interrupted Master Honghui, sharply, "it was said that the Xiaolin Dragons once possessed magic themselves, but we have lost such an art. Perhaps you are the key to reawakening it."

"Me?" she asked. "Xiaolin Dragons?”

"You are destined to  _ be _ one, my dear,” said Master Yaozu through a kindly laugh, "and a powerful one too, I'd suspect. With you, the elemental cycle is complete. Fire, Water, Earth, and now,"

He gestured to her with a wave of his feeble hand, his eyes deadlocked on hers. "Wind."

"Wind,” she said, failing at hiding the bitterness in her trembling voice.

‘My destiny?!’ she inwardly shouted. ‘I don’t have a destiny! I just want to go home!’

They were not going to spare her life because she was innocent, they were sparing it because of some stupid scroll!

Orange coated her tongue, but Tala swallowed it down. In spite of her hands burning, Tala folded them in her lap, tapping her fingers together- one, two, three, four; one, two, three, four.

"Do not be alarmed, Tala," assured Master Yaozu. "The others were your exact age, when the Scroll of Ages chose them to fill the other elements. With their guidance, you shall be able to rise to their ranks with ease."

“But- but- I am maid!” was all Tala could bring herself to remember, scrambling for a few sentences, and giving up on all of them.

"If the Scroll of Ages chose you,” said Chase, “then you are as capable as anyone else. If you weren't, you would never have been named.”

"However," said Master Honghui, smugly, "your magic  _ must _ be contained. Any more accidents like this will give us no choice but to charge and execute you as a witch. Use your magic for the good of all people, for the Xiaolin. Fail, and you shall die a painful death."

“Painful?” Tala squeaked. 

"Oh, enough with your theatrics!" snapped Grand Master Wei. "You are frightening the girl!"

Master Honghui's smile dropped, silenced by the Grand Master's flared temper.

It was not even a half-moment later that Grand Master Wei smiled to Tala with kindness and said to all in the room, "In truth, this girl is not a witch. A true witch uses her magic to force her will upon another to cause harm, dealing the most damage toward those who are good. A witch despises kindness in all of its forms. This girl has not met any of those requirements, by my judgement. She has been given a rare gift, and still has yet to learn how to wield it. We should see this as an opportunity to bring the Xiaolin Dragons back into their magical birthrights. My decree is that Tala Bao is to be given a guardian until that day arrives. One that will keep her secret hidden, dismiss the rumors spread about her over this unfortunate mishap, and protect her from those who would wish her any harm."

He looked at Chase, and Tala's heart sank.

"Chase Young," he said, "you were the first to discover Tala’s gift, and so it is you who should have the honor to keep her hidden from those who would also learn of her abilities, and wish to destroy her. Can I entrust you to that?"

Chase looked just about as unsure and as terrified as Tala felt. In fact, he looked rather sick over the sudden responsibility, but he bowed to the Grand Master, saying, "I accept."


	5. Chapter 5

Five_ Change 

Tala was escorted to her new home a week later. There was a tearful goodbye between her and Jia, filled with hugs and promises to continue language tutoring in Tala’s spare time away from training with the other monks, but Tala had no time to mourn leaving her little corner by the stove. 

She was rushed from place to place, collecting scrolls from the library, and attending ceremonies to designate her into monk life. That process alone took five out of the seven days, at one point being bathed in special salts and oils for over ten hours to purify her aura and prepare Tala for taking on her new role as one of the four Honored Apprentices. 

Finally, on the seventh day, Tala was taken to the Wind Dragon Suite. It was the easternmost point of the four Dragon Houses at the northern end of the Temple. Its tall, yellow walls gleamed against the white snow, despite its paint chipping here and there around its white base. A red roof, of which all the suites had, was decorated with dragon guardians on all four points, each frozen into a snarl and one paw clawing at the air. The Wind Suite’s walls had its element carved into it, snaking around the entire building all the way up past the windows.

A small lake and a willow tree sapling separated the Wind Suite from the Water Suite in the north, and a winding path of bamboo also separated it from the Fire Suite directly south. Tala could only just see the blue pillars of the Fire Suite between the shoots of the grove, if she tilted her head directly sideways, which earned her a glare from Master Young beside her. Because of this, she dared not look behind him to admire the beautiful wave-like designs carved into the onyx sidings of the Water Suite, though it was the house closest to hers. 

“Earth, where?” Tala asked, mostly to herself, when she could not see it. 

“Your incompetence is astounding,” Master Young snapped, trudging ahead of Tala in the falling snow. “The Earth Suite is to the west. You should be able to see it if you look in the direction of the Sands, just there.”

She followed his stiff pointing toward what Tala had thought was just a pile of neatly-placed boulders. No...it was a rock garden! Completely devoid of snow, the reddish-orange sand was delicately drawn into with precise circles and waves that seemed to dance without moving, snaking around each boulder meticulously. Just beyond the garden was an orange building, its red roof just barely peeking over the largest boulder. Tala marveled at the garden, but Master Young was already much further ahead, so she forced her eyes away and ran after him, to keep up.

“Sands, that way?” she called. 

“Yes,” snapped Master Young. “You should take the path that runs between both the Water and Earth Suites to come to training, each sunrise. I expect perfect attendance from you, understand?”

He looked down at Tala with a frown when she caught up, huffing to catch her breath. 

“Uh- attendance?” she asked. 

“Don’t be late,” he growled. 

He allowed Tala to go inside before him, and she bowed to Master Young for the honor. He did not reciprocate. His frown just dropped even lower, as he stood in the doorway. 

“I’m getting far too old for this,” she heard him grumble, before coming in. 

There was a knock at the side door, and Master Young waved them in, grunting, “Ah, is it finished?”

The maid who entered held a package wrapped in paper. She bowed her head silently, and offered it for Master Young to take. He motioned toward Tala, and the maid bowed again, dipping her head even lower to make sure her eyes didn’t rise above Tala’s. There was a faint smile on the girl’s face when Tala took the package from her hands, nodding with silent thanks. 

Once the maid scurried back out, Master Young said, “Well? _ Open _ it.”

Tala tried her best not to rip the paper, but the Master’s scrutinizing glare caused her hands to shake, and a loud tear revealed a strip of yellow. Master Young visibly tensed at the sound, but said nothing. He only glared when Tala snuck an anxious glance at him, while opening the rest of the package. 

Tala held up the new set of robes. They were recently made in vibrant yellow, hastily cut and fitted to someone as small as her, but they were plain, and made from cotton. Nothing at all like Chase’s shimmering shirts or silk jacket. 

“I suppose you’ll want to try them on,” said Master Young. 

Tala’s shoulders seized up when she gasped, looking at Master Young with wide eyes. 

“What’s the matter?” he snapped. “Are these robes not to your liking?”

Tala shook her head.

“Master.. Here,” she said in a small voice. 

“Oh, for the love of-” Master Young sighed, slapping a hand over his eyes. “I was going to return later, so that you could have a robe fitting, child. Don’t defame me with such thoughts! It’s bad enough that I must be your Master, you  _ horrible _ little creature!”

Tala hissed, biting on the nail of her thumb.  She bowed. “ _ Jo _ , Sorry.”

“No,” Master Young growled, harshly. “Don’t speak so informally to your teacher! You are my student. Speak correctly when addressing me, or not at all!”

Tala curled in her fists, but kept her forehead to the floor. Sorry was the only word she knew to apologize. Wanting to please him, she stayed silent, despite the anger boiling in her belly. 

“Rise and walk me out, now,” he said. “I will return once your robe fitting is finished, to explain the items given to you for your inheritance.”

Tala stood and opened the door for Master Young. He sneered with disgust out of the corner of his mouth when Tala accidentally looked up from her bow too early. She watched him march down the path and over the small, red bridge toward the Water Suite, clutching the new robes to her chest. 

* * *

A robe fitting was scheduled for that afternoon. The maid who was attending to Tala giggled when she squirmed under her touch. The maid’s hand was cold, accidentally brushing up against Tala’s belly button when she yanked down on the cloth. 

“Hold still, Honored Trainee,” she said, fighting a smile. “I just need to make sure the hem is even.”

“Cold,” Tala muttered, fighting a shudder to keep still. “Done yet?”

The maid’s grin bloomed into a full smile, showing every one of her teeth. 

“Almost,” she said. “...Jia  _ said _ you spoke strangely, Honored Trainee, but I didn’t realize you had such an interesting accent, too!”

Tala instantly brightened. 

“Jia?” she asked, a wide smile spreading across her face. 

The maid nodded and stepped away, assessing her work with a serious expression and a tilt of her head. 

“Hold your arm out for me, Honored Trainee,” she said. 

When Tala obeyed, her collar slipped past her shoulder as the sleeve dipped over her fists. The maid giggled behind her hand. She had Tala hold her arms out in front of her, and repinned the sleeves. 

“What is name?” Tala asked her, watching the maid pinch a few pins between her teeth as she sewed the sleeve hems a little higher. 

“Suji,” she said, again pulling on the hem of Tala’s robe. She grumbled through the pins, “Ugh, still too long.”

“Jia is friend you?” Tala asked. 

Suji looked up at Tala with a mischievous glint in her eyes, then looked back to her work with a grin. 

Master Young came through the side door then, clapping twice. Suji stood, bowed to Tala, and then to Master Young. She took her things and left the room quickly, dodging a man carrying in an ornate box on his way inside. 

Tala still didn’t like the feel of her new clothes. The robe was a tad too big at the waist, and the hem of the shirt cut down to below her knees. She wasn’t very sure if Suji intended that, or if she was simply interrupted before finishing. It didn’t seem to matter anyway, since Tala had been given a sash to tie her pants more securely around the middle, tucked underneath the faded black hand-me-down belt of a long since advanced Trainee.

She met Master Young’s eyes only for a second, but it was enough to hear an audible sneer come from deep in his throat. 

“I’ve been instructed to tell you a little about the history behind your new status,” he said. “Try to keep up with what I’m saying. Do you understand, or should I speak even more slowly?”

Tala only nodded, wringing her hands together. 

Master Young waited for a moment before clearing his throat. “As the Xiaolin Monk of Wind, you are the keeper of fortitude,” he said. “ _ Please, _ tell me you know what that means.”

Tala shook her head. 

“Look at me, when you answer,” Master Young snapped. 

Tala flinched, but did as he said. “N-no, Master.”

Curling his scarred lip with a roll of his eyes, Master Young yaked on the sleeve of a passing boy carrying a few charts in his arms. He snatched one from the top, and shooed the boy back to his duty without so much as darting his glare from Tala. 

Tala looked from the unfolded chart in his fist to Master Young’s face with wide eyes. 

“ _ Fortitude _ ,” he said, grinding the word out, “is the inner strength of all men that aids them to defy any odds.”

He pointed to a character Tala could not read, but she assumed was the word in question. Tala nodded her head, pretending to understand. 

“Yellow is the color to represent it,” he went on. “This color is one of rebirth and revitalization:  _ spring,  _ after the harshness of winter. That is what you are  _ supposed  _ to be, to the Xiaolin Dragon Cycle.”  

Tala scoffed inwardly to herself, fiddling with one of her sleeves while Master Young waited for her response. He wasn’t going to get one, she decided. 

"The Cycle of Four has been broken until now," he explained, as women now scurried back and forth, rearranging the room, now that the heaviest lifting was over.

Tala watched Suji curiously, as she started to place clothes in various shades of yellow into the drawers of the wardrobe. 

“Trainee!” Master Young snapped. “Stop staring at nothing, and pay attention.”

Tala turned red faced when Suji winked at her before returning to her task, and Tala reluctantly turned her eyes back to Master Young. 

He grunted, folding his hands behind his back.

 "For the past three hundred years, the Xiaolin Dragon of Wind has been lost,” he told her. “Before, that we were strong. As the Grand Master claims, we also had magic of our own. This suite being presented to you now has been preserved with care by the Council, hoping one day to revive it with the renewal of completion in the Xiaolin Dragons' line."

Even with all of the furniture now placed neatly around the main room, Tala found her new home to be spacious. Too large for her, in fact. This room had hardly anything in it, other than the brand new sleeping mat, the wardrobe, and a mirror that was propped up against the furthest corner. The adjacent room was much smaller, meant as a back patio with two mats and a tea table set between them to entertain a guest. 

The paper door behind Master Young was open, to air out the quarters, as maids passed in and out of the doorway, carrying in Tala's new belongings. Oh, how she wished that he would just walk out of it and leave her alone!

"What those?" Tala asked the Master, watching a trunk be carried in by two eunuchs.

"They are your inheritance as the next Wind Dragon," he told her. "There is not much. Most of what should have belonged to the Dragon Warriors was lost in the war centuries ago, and more so of yours disappeared after the death of your predecessor."

The chest was set down beside a pair of swords, gently laid atop a rug that was neatly rolled in the opposite corner. 

Master Young's constant frown lightened as he watched her stare at it, and said, "You will find no gold there, if that is what you're thinking. The Dragons were rich in culture, not gems or jewels. Most likely in that chest of yours, there will be scrolls and maps."

" _ Jo _ , Forgive me, Master," said Tala, feeling guilty, for she _ had  _ thought of gold. "No mean to-"

Master Young waved her off with an elegant snap of his wrist.

"No need to apologize," he said. "Especially not.. like  _ that _ .” 

He said this with open disgust, and brushed off one of his sleeves, as if Tala’s honorific had dirtied it somehow. 

“I was the same when Grand Master Wei showed me my own quarters,” Master Young continued. “Just don’t bother yourself with fantasies of riches. You won’t be seeing any, except in your dreams. We are provided all that we need, here behind these walls.”

"Grand Master Wei teach you?"

Master Young's face returned to stone, and Tala wished desperately to take her question back. 

"Come," he said, stiffly, "share tea with me."

They sat opposite of each other at the tea table, the steaming pot already placed there for them gleaming against the rare winter sun. Tala kept her eyes on her hands as she prepared their cups, feeling more self conscious now, than ever before. She dreaded having him as her teacher, and she knew that he dreaded her as a pupil, but neither could change or challenge what the Grand Master had decided.

"To be perfectly honest," said Master Young, accepting the cup Tala handed to him, "I do not trust you, Tala Bao."

She did not trust herself, either. With a nervous swallow, Tala nodded submissively. A maid attempted to place some dumplings onto the table, but the Master shooed her away like an annoying fly. Tala turned her cup, breathing slowly to steady the knives poking around in her stomach.

"Grand Master Wei believes that you are to be our savior, aiding us with your magic, and somehow restoring the powers the Xiaolin has lost," he said. Leaning forward and with a low voice he added, " _ I  _ do not think so."

Tala shivered, the coldness of his voice weighing upon her shoulders like the falling snow outside. She twisted her cup back again, fighting the urge to cry, nearly choking on how sick she felt. A whimper bubbled up into her throat.

"Stop your sniveling, and look at me," he snapped. "You are no longer a kitchen girl. You are a Xiaolin Trainee.  _ Act _ like one."

Tala looked up, her stomach churning, when she saw that the fire in his amber eyes relit with suspicion and disgust. He had every right. She had given very little reason for anyone to trust her, least of all her new master.

"Do you want to know what I think, young warrior?" he asked her, with a slight smile.

"Sir," she answered, with a nod.

The Master's stare was calculated and gleamed with malice as he said, "I believe that you are dangerous. If I had my way in that Council Room, you would have burned for what you did to my son. I don’t care what the Council may say or believe. There is a seed of evil in your heart; I’ve seen it. It is one that must be  _ crushed  _ out, if necessary, so that it cannot grow any further. I  _ know  _ what you did to my son was not an accident."

"Was, sir," said Tala, willing herself with all of her might not to look away in fear. “Hurt Chase was bad idea. No want.”

“You aren’t very clever,” he dismissed, with a dimpled sneer. “I can see through that act of yours. Speaking poorly may have worked to fake some sort of innocence for you so far, but I do not feel sorry for you. If anything, it makes me hate you more. It is apparent that you are severely lazy.”

Tala flinched into herself, turning away, the words he said so dismissively burning like fire in her.

“I told you to stop looking away!” Master Young snapped. “I would swear you’re stupid, but the way you nearly lured my son to his death proves otherwise.”

Tala, though shaking, met Master Young’s glare again.

Master Young sighed.  “It doesn’t matter how I feel, since I cannot oppose Grand Master Wei’s decisions. Just know _ this _ \- if I even  _ suspect _ that you have darker intentions than those you’ve convinced my Master of, I will tie you to the stake myself.”

The hand on Tala’s lap bunched the hem of her robe into a pinching fist, but Tala dared not break eye contact.

"Are you frightened," he asked, "of my saying such a thing?"

Her voice shook, and her stomach tightened, but she held his gaze bravely and said, "Yes."

“Yes, what?” he snapped.

Tala’s whole body trembled at his glower. “Yes, Master Young.”

Master Young broke the staring contest and poured himself some more tea. 

"You should not be," he assured her. "As the next Xiaolin Dragon of Wind, and the one to bring the Cycle to completion, you are not allowed to be harmed. To be honest, your new status is all that is holding me back from reaching across this table and killing you with my own hands. At least for right now…. But, it is as I said: betray us, and you will perish. Painfully, in my opinion."

"Yes, Master Young," she said, relieved to not have to look him dead in the face anymore.

“And you will learn to speak properly while under my care, understood?” he added, pouring hers. “I will not have you making  _ my _ warriors out to look like simpletons. Either you will learn to speak, or you will not speak _ at all. _ ”

Tala could only nod her head, this time. Master Young seemed satisfied, flicking his cold eyes to her with a small smirk, before handing Tala her cup.

“Good,” he said. “You’re learning something, already.”

Tala could see now where Chase had gotten his startling eyes and intensity from.

She took a breath and asked, "Why will you teach me?"

Master Young's eyes flickered back to her again, as quick as a flame on a candle. He snorted, and took a sip of his tea. 

"It is as I said,” he told her, oddly smug. “The Grand Master has ordered me to. I have no choice, and neither do you. Even so,  I will push you to your limits and you will hate me for it, perhaps even surpassing my own animosity for you. I assure you, that will be on account of your lack of abilities, not because I hate you and wish for your painful demise."

Tala shook her head. "No un-”

Master Young glared sharply at her. 

“ _ I  _ do not understand," Tala corrected herself.

" _ Because _ I want the Xiaolin Dragons to thrive, young one. I treat all of my students equally," he told her. "I push them to strive for their full potential. I told you that I distrust you, so now you have no question in the way I see you. You must know that in spite of my personal feelings, my only goal from this point forward is to mold you into a warrior that can properly claim the title of a Xiaolin Dragon. I will expect nothing less from you. Let’s just hope that you’re as powerful as Grand Master Wei claims."

Tala bowed, not knowing what else to say or do other than accept the strange honor, if she could even call it that. She bit back the honorific this time, not wanting to waste its good luck on him, anyway. "Thank you, Master Young."

He left, and Tala watched Master Young’s footprints trail behind him in the snow. A raven called, sounding like deep-throated laughter, and Tala shut the paper door with a sigh. She curled up, face in her hands. 

“Maybe should walk into big trees and freeze,” she told herself, hating every clunky word. 

“Don’t do that,” said someone at the inner door. “I wouldn’t have any more friends to talk to.”

Tala popped her head up, the happiest she felt in days. Lunging to her feet to wrap her arms around the elder girl, she cried, “ _ Ui _ ! Jia!”

“Tala!” Jia cried back, hugging Tala’s head and rocking them both back and forth. “I’m glad to hear you practicing on your own, but that sounded kind of worrying.”

Tala clutched at Jia’s apron, a sort of nostalgia choking her up as faint visions of her mother’s dress overshadowed Jia’s frock. 

“ _ Ui _ ! I’m sorry,” she said. “I’m sorry for all!”

“Tala,” Jia cooed, smoothing down Tala’s hair, when Tala began to shake with tears. “Come on, I’m just happy you’re alive.”

“Not mean to-” Tala hiccuped, “Just- was just-”

Jia groaned and kneeled to Tala’s eye level to wipe the tears from her eyes.

“I already know about everything,” she said, warm palms covering Tala’s cold cheeks. “It’s  _ okay _ .”

Tala shook her face free, backing away.

“ _ Deir _ ?” she squeaked. “But- How?!”

“No, sweetie, don’t freak out,” Jia warned her, hands up as she stood straight. “Let me explain.”

Tala covered her ears.

“No tell ‘freak out’! Not understand meaning!”

“Tal-”

“ _ I can’t believe you _ !” Tala hissed, backing toward the wall, and retreating into Wupoyisho, “ _ You’re just like Chase! Why is everyone lying to me _ ?!”

“Tala, I don’t understand,” said Jia, eyes wide. “What are you saying?”

“You lie!” Tala translated. 

“I’m not lying to you, Tala!” said Jia, “Just calm down and listen, _ please _ !”

Tala stopped caring about Jia understanding her, wanting to say everything she thought, instead. “ _ I pushed you away and snuck around, because I thought you didn’t know about me! I was trying to protect you because you’re my only friend in the world, and I now I get to find out you knew this whole time?! Didn’t you think I’d feel a little less terrified, if I knew _ -”

Jia watched with growing horror, unable to understand Tala’s words. Her eyes grew even wider. “Tala!”

“Jia!” Tala shot back.

“ _ No, _ Tala!” Jia snapped, pointing.

“What!” Tala turned to see the swords that had been lying on the curled rug were now floating above her head, pointing at Jia like a pair of guard dogs ready to attack.  

Tala’s heart stopped, and the swords dropped. Within seconds, Tala was thrown to the floor and Jia cried out in pain. 

Tala twisted like a striking snake, heart pounding. Jia was on top of her, relatively unharmed except for a stream of blood running down her shoulder where one of the swords had grazed it. 

Tears welled up in Tala’s eyes. Immediately, Jia was hugging her.

“No, no, Tala, don’t,” begged Jia. “Don’t start crying, sweetie. You’ll only just-”

Jia grunted when Tala nicked her jaw with her heel in the struggle to get out of Jia’s well-meaning grip. 

“ _ Ui, _ sorry!” Tala cried, crawling away. 

“Tala, it’s okay!” said Jia, picking herself up. “I know you didn’t mean it.”

Tala watched from the corner of the room, as Jia untied her apron.

“Please, no tell Master Young,” she whispered.

Jia snorted. “Why  _ would  _ I?” 

Tala choked back more tears, unable to say “I almost killed you,” but Jia seemed to understand the sentiment.

“Don’t cry, okay?” said Jia softly. “This is easily fixable… Do you need to stay over in the corner to calm down?”

Tala nodded, stubbornly trying to obey Jia’s direction with a sniff. 

“Do you want me to get you a sweet bun?”

Tala nodded her head more vigorously, wiping tears away. 

Jia sighed, inspecting her shoulder. “Well, this frock is certainly ruined.”

“ _ Ui, chawquian- _ ”

“Stop apologizing,” said Jia, crossing the room to snag the buns another maid had left on the counter during Master Young’s visit. 

Tala shrunk when Jia handed one to her, and warily took it. Tala waited until Jia crossed the room again to bite into it. 

Jia sat with her back to Tala, leaning on the bleeding shoulder. A faint, white light glowed from behind Jia. 

“What you do?” Tala called.

The light became a bit more bright, but Jia said nothing. 

Tala uncurled herself. She tried her best to be sneaky, but the floorboard groaned beneath her. She gasped when Jia looked at her with a wink before turning back to the light. It gave her the courage to look over Jia’s head. 

A white light, dancing like smoke, poured from Jia’s fingertips into the cut.The magic faintly smelled of fresh snow. Jia’s blood disappeared, reversing the jagged skin back to smooth. Tala dropped her sweet bun. 

“ _ Ui _ , you too?” she whispered. 

“Only a little,” said Jia, with a shrug. “Not like you. My magic didn’t awaken until after I came here. I was already older than you are, and it’s only just been this.”

She pat the floor in front of her, and Tala took a seat to watch her finish.

“What is word,” Tala asked quietly, pointing to Jia’s magic, “heal?”

Jia shook her head, smiling. “It’s more like restoring. I just use it most for my scraps and scrapes. Do you know what restoring is?”

Tala shook her head as well, still watching Jia with awe. 

“Restoration is a word that means to return something to what it used to be,” Jia explained. “My skin was unbroken before the sword cut it, so I’m just putting it back the way it was. Do you understand?”

“Speaking slow, fine,” Tala said, nodding. “Res-rest..rest-or-ation: To fix things back?”

Jia smiled, encouragingly. 

“I’ve restored a few shattered pots, too,” she said, “like the one that broke the day you came. You remember? The one that hit the ceiling because I wasn’t paying attention to it?”

Tala nodded again, shrinking back a little.

“Not Jia’s fault,” she admitted. “My magic made bad idea, little bit…”

Jia looked confused, so Tala stammered quickly, “W-when did you come?” 

“Three years ago,” Jia answered. “I was thirteen. My father made me choose between a monastery or a pig farmer.”

“Was your Mama-”

“No.”

Tala swallowed back her excitement at the harsh tone. 

“My grandmother was,” said Jia, her faraway look bitter and sad. “ _ Half _ of one, or so she told me. Back then, the Valley People were less afraid of the witches. My grandmother’s tribe worshiped them, so it was an honor when her mother was lured into the forest one day and came out of it with a child a year later- my grandmother.  She didn’t have magic, but her eyes were a strange color that no one else in her village had.”

“What color?”

“Blue, like ice.”

Tala’s stomach clenched. Her mother had told similar stories about her own home, and a memory hazed the back of her mind, one that Tala couldn’t quite remember. She smiled and reached out to touch Jia’s hand. “Tell more, please.”

Jia’s shock melted into a smile. “They- the Valley People- considered it a blessing, and she had many marriage offers. Grandmother married outside of them, instead. I think she wanted to escape the special treatment. She had my father, and- um- he never _ liked _ her stories.”

Tala deflated. “Know about you?”

Jia shook her head. “Thankfully not. I hope I never see him again.”

“Your brother?”

Jia quirked up. “Jun? I see him every day!”

Tala nearly jumped up. “Your brother, here?!” 

Jia laughed. 

“He tends to the animals,” she said. “I chose the monastery to be near him.” 

Tala gasped, brightening. “Jun has magic, too?” 

“No,” Jia clipped, playfully, ruffling Tala’s hair when the younger girl deflated again, “but I can introduce you two sometime, if you’d like.”

Tala pushed her hand away. “Jun does know  _ your  _ magic?”

“What? -Oh.. No,” Jia sighed, sadness gracing her smile. “Just you and me, but that’s okay. It’s safer for him that way. Like how you were with me, I guess.”

Tala looked down at her hands, throat tightening. “ _ Ui _ , sorry. Should have spoke you.”

“No, Tala.”

Tala jumped at Jia’s gentle touch. She met Jia’s eyes, a few tears spilling from her own. 

“What you did was a very brave and scary thing,” said Jia. “It was my own fault for waiting until  you were ready to tell me. I’m older than you. I should have realized-”

Tala nearly tackled Jia with a hug.

“Alone not now, so is all fine,” said Tala. “Mean-  _ Aitai _ , spoke wrong...”

Jia smiled.

“Don’t worry, I understand what you meant, and I’m sorry you felt that way,” she said, hugging Tala back. “I promise, you won’t be alone anymore.”

Tala pulled away. 

“What to do?” she groaned. “ _ Ui’s _ magic is not family! Training is bad idea. I want-”

Tala ran her fingers through her curls, biting her lips against talking about Mama. She had promised Papa not to talk about her, after all.  A hitch caught in her throat, and Tala bit down to keep from bursting into tears again. 

“Hey,” Jia cooed touching Tala’s shoulder, “you wanna talk about it?”

Tala shook her head.

“Too many words, huh?” 

Tala nodded, feeling even guiltier for lying. 

The room fell into gentle silence, as Tala fought back tears again. Jia handed her another sweet bun silently, biting down into her own. Tala didn't eat hers, staring at it instead, as she focused on steadying her breathing.

“I have an idea,” said Jia, when Tala finally bit into her bun. “Let me do your hair. You’ll have to put it up for training with the Xiaolin warriors. You begin tomorrow, don't you?”

Tala winced, remembering the last time Jia did it. “ _ Ui _ , no pull this time.”

Jia laughed, already scootching up behind Tala to gather her hair. “Okay, okay, I won’t do the bun again!”

“You know,” said Tala, “Chase has his hair low.”

“Oh? Are you trying to be like him, now?” teased Jia. “And you mean  _ down, _ sweetie.”

Heat spread across Tala’s cheeks. “No,  _ Ui _ ! Too mean! Just… _ Aitai _ , never mind. Forgot best word.”

“I’m joking, Tala,” sighed Jia, finishing the first pleat. “Don’t take everything so literally. What is  _ Ui _ , anyway? You should teach me more words.”

“Luck,” said Tala, “ _ Jo  _ for elders,  _ Ui _  for friends. It protects.”

“Oh,  _ now _ we’re friends,” said Jia.

Silence came between them again, like a bubble pushing against Tala’s back.

“... Do you think-” Tala cut off the thought.

“What?”

“How to clean..” Tala fidgeted with her hands, and spread her fingers from her gut, making a  _ sploosh! _ sound. “...from  _ Ui’s _ dress?”

“What?!” Jia burst out into laughter. “Are you asking about blood?!”

Tala nodded. “Blood.”

Jia smiled behind her hands.

“Silly girl, you’re too cute!” she gushed. 

Tala blushed, sheepishly nibbling on her sweet bun. 

“I have at least three more frocks,” said Jia. “Don’t worry about it. This one’s getting small, anyway. No one will ask me about burning it. Okay! I’m done. Go look in the mirror.”

Tala jumped up eagerly and ran to the mirror. Her hair was hung as two loose braids down the front, stray curls fluffing up around her face. Her excited smile fell at the sight.  

“Bunny?” she asked, not meaning to sneer. 

Jia came up behind her, resting her elbows atop Tala’s head with a shrug. 

“I may have gained some inspiration from a bunny, yes,” she said. “Personally, I think it’s adorable. You _ did  _ say you didn’t want it too tight.”

Tala grumbled, playing with one of the braid’s tails. 

“ _ Let’s just hope my  _ _ adorableness _ _ will keep me from being hit too hard _ ,” she grumbled to herself.

“What?” Jia asked, curiously. 

Tala shook her head, the braids loose enough to flop a little. “No worries!” 

“That’s a lot of words for something you could have said so simply in  _ my _ language,” huffed Jia. “You should try it, more.”

“No worries,” Tala repeated, faking a large grin.

She hoped so, anyway.   


* * *

 

“One more lap, Trainee,” snapped Master Young, as Tala struggled to pass the marker he set. 

She tripped, tried to catch herself, but wobbled off balance and landed face first into the snow at the edge of the tile platform. Tala cried out. Her palm was skinned by the tile, while sliding. It stung so badly that she began to cry.

Master Young was unmoved, barking, “Get up! I said one more lap!”

“ _ Yaowai _ !” Tala cried, practically screaming at him, holding her hand. 

Her legs were still shaking from sprinting the last two laps. How could he not understand that she couldn’t?! 

“ _ Yaowai,  _ Master _ ,  _ too much!”

“You are my student!” he screamed right back. “How dare you raise your voice to me?! Get up, this instant!”

“ _ Yaowai _ ,” Tala insisted, whimpering. 

“I told you to speak our words, or not at all!” Master Young scolded. “Get up and run two more, then a third for your insolence! We will not leave the grounds until you’ve finished. Again! Get up!”

Tala pushed herself off of the ground, sniffling. Master Young was glaring at her from where he stood. 

“Once more,” he said, with a little less bite, “tell me how long the Xiaolin Temple has been standing.”

Tala’s chin quivered, despite knowing the answer. She didn’t want to keep saying it wrong, not when she was already tired from running laps the first three times she did.  

“Hurts, Master,” she said. 

“Once more,” he said. “Then you will run those three punishment laps, and you can go home. Answer my question, and say it  _ correctly _ .”

Tala’s legs were numb from the cold, but perhaps that was a good thing. She could feel them throbbing, especially at her calves, and dreaded sitting down. She stared at Master Young, her chest heaving, trying not to cry and ruin her last chance to avoid another two extra laps. 

“The Xiaolin Temple,” she heaved between raw breaths, tasting iron deep in her throat, “has been standing-”

Tala fell to her knees again, her ankles giving way under the constant shaking in her legs. Her raw palm hurt worse, now beginning to bleed from the dirt and rocks digging into it. She started to cry again, her hope draining faster than the little energy she still had left. 

Master Young took his time coming over to Tala, but when he did, he knelt down in front of her. He looked so much like Chase, that Tala could almost imagine him as a young monk, wearing the same blue robes as his son. 

Aside from the age between them, flecking through his hair as white streaks, one of the main differences between Chase and Master Young was that the master also had a small scar on his upper lip. It was a jagged slash that cut deeply into the pink flesh at the corner of his mouth, and Tala was afraid to ask where he had gotten it from, knowing that she would speak wrong if she did. 

Tala flinched, when Master Young took her hand and wiped the dirt away with the corner of his sleeve.

“You’ve done enough, today,” he said, quietly. “I suppose you will be the fastest running Dragon, if nothing else, by the time I’m finished with you, Trainee.” 

“The Xiaolin Temple,” Tala whimpered, trying again.

She cut herself off with a tiny gasp when Master Young looked at her. It wasn’t a true glare, but he didn’t look all that happy, either. 

“I said that’s enough for today,” he said. “ The sun has set, so I won’t make you run those last three laps, but you  _ will  _ run them during the next lesson. Do you think that you can stand?”

Tala shook her head. Her legs felt so heavy, that they might as well have been boulders. 

Master Young sighed, as if her silent answer was the worst thing he had seen all day.

“We will end the day with stretching,” he said. “Touch your hands to your toes.”

Tala struggled to reach, so Master Young pressed in the flats of her feet to help. Tala was just barely able to touch the tips of her fingers to her shoes, grunting as she tried to inch even closer. Master Young watched on with a flat expression. 

“Alright,” he said, “touch the flats of your feet together, and try to press your knees to the ground.”

Tala didn’t need his help for this one, hissing in pain as she held the position for a few seconds.  

“You will do these stretches every morning and night,” he instructed, “and  _ every _ time before and after our lessons. It will help to keep you from major injury. I don’t foresee you running less laps any time soon. Your speaking is absolutely horrendous.”

Tala bit the inside of her cheek, not knowing what ‘horrendous’ meant, but assumed it wasn’t a compliment. Nothing that came from his mouth ever was.  

Master Young sighed and offered his hand. Tala hesitated in taking it, but when she did, Master Young pulled her up into his arms.  

“Your legs will get stronger,” he said quietly, though Tala could clearly hear the disgust in his voice, “but for now, I will carry you to your suite to rest. You will take tomorrow off, and continue your stretches. I will also order for you to be given an ice bath, tonight.”

“Hate ice baths,” Tala grumbled, shivering.

“Until you no longer have to run twelve laps a day, you will take them,” he said, beginning down the path toward the Dragon Suites. “You cannot afford to be careless with your health, if you ever want to catch up to the others.”

Tala bit back a growl, not wanting to show anger while Master Young’s hands were in such easy reach of her neck. Instead, she pretended not to understand, passively watching the Training Sands disappear behind the path’s bamboo wall.  

“At this rate,” continued Master Young, “I’m not sure if you’re even ready to begin training alongside even the worst of the three. Perhaps it would be best to ask Grand Master Wei to place you with the smaller children, until you are ready.”

Tala shook her head, but not enough to distract Master Young from walking. 

“Oh?” he asked, almost sounding amused. “You can’t even speak, and yet you expect me to just  _ toss _ you in with three Xiaolin Apprentices?”

“Not smaller,” Tala whispered.

She wasn’t sure if Master Young grunted with disgust, or if he held back a laugh. 

“Don’t worry, Trainee,” he said. “You will join the others, in due time.”


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter six_  Friends and Nightmares 

Tala scrambled to save herself from falling, her hand just barely scraping the ground before she twisted around to face her opponent dead on. While she was still off balance, the other warrior took the advantage by hooking the back of Tala’s wobbling leg with his foot. She tripped and fell back, sand spraying everywhere, a painful throb spreading like cracked ice on the back of her head.

The gong rang, and the boy relaxed to bow. Tala squeezed her eyes shut against the pain and embarrassment, laying there a half moment longer in her self pity, before pushing herself up from the ground. She opened her eyes, just barely blinking them back into focus. 

The boy reached out a hand to her, smiling. Tala allowed him to help her up, but did not return the friendly gesture.

"Tala," called Master Young, sternly, "how many times must I say it? Keep your body aligned at the center! You must balance your weight properly when you come out of a strike, else you will fall, whether by your opponent's volition or not."

"Yes, Master," answered Tala, sweeping her bow low. "Thank you."

Master Young rang the gong a second time.

"Again," he instructed. "Begin with the Horse Stance, this time. Even  _ you  _ could not mess that up."

Heat prickled at Tala's fingertips. She balled her hands, willing it away before the familiar dreaded taste of orange could coat her tongue. It was hard enough keeping her focus with sleep still scratching at the back of her mind. She did not want to move until she was sure the magic had subsided.

"Have your feet turned to stone, warrior?" called Master Young. "Horse Stance,  _ now _ ."

Tala sucked in breath, cooling her mouth to soothe herself. 

'Relax,' she thought, fighting off a yawn. 'Slowly, Tala. Just a few more sets.'

Being sure to keep her feet flat, Tala readied her hands, stretching her arms out with balled fists. She tucked them up at her waist, and spread her feet to be a hair wider than her shoulder width, struggling to keep herself balanced as she crouched. 

Tala turned to face her opponent directly, being sure to only twist her front foot to point in his direction. She wobbled slightly, realizing that her core was leaning a bit too forward. Her eyes blurred again.

"Keep your spine straight," Master Young warned. "Honestly, Trainee, I sometimes wonder if you truly have one."

" _ Shatuy, _ " Tala cursed under her breath, straightening herself.

"Much better," said Master Young, lucky to not have heard her. To Tala's opponent, he said, "Guan, don't just knock Tala down, this time. Anyone can do that. This is an assessment of you both. I want to see what you have applied, this quarter."

Guan nodded and shifted into a mirror of her Horse Stance. He took a deep breath too, watching Tala with worried eyes. He must have noticed the dark circles under hers.

"Begin."

Guan charged her, his arms ready for a punch. Tala used that to her advantage, jumping up and using them as a springboard to kick off of and lift herself high above his head. She brought the kick down, but he was faster. Catching her foot, Guan tossed Tala away, only just giving her enough time to spin and face him again, before he sent her flying with a kick of his own. 

The blow knocked the wind from her. She nearly panicked, unable to breathe as she lay on the ground, but the air returned within a few long seconds. The gong chimed again as Tala caught her breath, struggling not to cry.

It had already been a year of training under Master Young, alongside the other three Dragon hopefuls, and still Tala was nowhere near the Apprentice rank. Tala wondered if her Master would ever grant her the Apprentice Belt. Even if he did, she was still eons away from catching up to the boys- all three, though still just Apprentices, already beginning their training to receive their Wudai ranks.

In spite of this, Tala was glad to not feel so alone. Guan himself was also struggling to keep up, though he was much closer to his goal than Tala was to hers. It was why Master Young had paired them together for the assessment. 

"Get up, Trainee," called Master Young. "Continue again, with the Cat Stance, and be sure to keep your weight balanced on your back leg. Do not be afraid of falling over."

Tala pushed herself up, when Guan offered his assistance the second time. She spurned him, sulking off back to her beginning spot.

Tala rested her front leg on the the ball of her foot, completing the form with no weight on it. Tala realized what Master Young was suggesting. The Cat Stance was one that used the front leg to either fluidly glide into another stance, or kick the opponent. With one arm raised above her head and the other tucked at her side, Tala confidently faced Guan, a new plan of attack surfacing in her mind. She could make this quick.

The gong rang.

This time, Tala let Guan come to her. She ducked back into the Horse Stance when he leapt at her, and swept her leg under his, knocking the ball of her heel into Guan’s ankle. Guan tumbled, and Tala sought her chance to uppercut him in the chin as she sprang back up. He fell onto his back for the first time, today.

Relief gave Tala a short lived spurt of energy that she used to smile. " _ Finally _ ."

"Nicely done, both of you," said Master Young. 

He rang the gong twice, signifying that the match was over, and that the two could relax. Guan rubbed his jaw as he sat up, cracking it to ease the pain.

"Sorry," said Tala, wincing with sympathy. "Trick was mean."

"You were frustrated," Guan answered, not looking at her. "I understand.”

Guan's scowl was not as forgiving as his words were. Neither was the rushed way he picked himself off of the ground, when their Master approached them. His back and broad shoulders were rigid, standing him taller than usual. 

Befitting of the Earth Dragon Apprentice, Guan dwarfed Tala, as a mountain would a tree. He did not look down, but she knew that Guan could feel her watching him. His jaw clenched, giving his feelings away.

She wanted to apologize, but the wave of weariness washed over her again, and Tala lost the energy. Tala fought not to sway on the balls of her feet. She nearly lurched forward, blinking to keep her sight from blurring again.

Master Young applauded them as he approached, his smirk smugly crooked when it came into Tala's focus. 

"You're improving, Tala," he said. "The Apprentice rank looks like it could be well within your reach."

Tala's heart leapt into her throat at the compliment. Finally, after all of her hard work, some praise!

"…. In  _ five more  _ years."

Never mind. Tala bowed, avoiding having to look into his face. She did not want to give Master Young the satisfaction of seeing the disappointment in her eyes.

"And you, Guan," he added. "You've become more controlled in your forms, but you are still far too slow. I may have to pair you with Dashi, the next time he  _ bothers _ to show up for class, to see if he can push you to move more quickly. Perhaps then, you will show some improvement."

Guan also bowed.

"Yes, Master Young," he said, quietly.

The scarred side of Master Young’s lip curled up when his eyes lingered on Tala. "You are dismissed."

Tala snuck a guilty look at Guan, but he avoided her and briskly walked off of the Training Sands. She watched him leave before beginning to walk away herself, her gaze falling to the ground with heavy eyelids. 

"Girl,"

Tala looked at Master Young, the sudden stop in motion dragging her down.

Master Young looked at her, and though he seemed more angry than concerned, he asked, "How are you feeling?"

"I am well, Master," she assured him.

"No, you're not," he answered. "There's no use lying to me. I know those shadows under your eyes aren't  _ all  _ from my training."

She looked down, too tired to defend herself, and unsure how to translate her thoughts, anyway.

"Nightmares," he said. "As a child, my son had them frequently. He hardly slept."

"What are you to say?" snapped Tala.

Master Young sighed, but graciously forgave her audacity.

"You have been slow at every other moment," he said, "yet you jump at the slightest touch. You've hardly eaten. I've noticed in your cheeks, that they've considerably thinned."

“Will be-” Tala stopped herself from breaking the speaking rule. She took a deep breath, the effort weighing on her. 

" _ I  _ will be better, now that the assessments are over," said Tala tonelessly, fighting for her eyes to stay open. "I only need rest."

He nodded, not looking to sure if he wanted to continue their conversation. Almost with concern, Master Young placed a hand on Tala's shoulder and solemnly looked her in the eye.

"That may be so," he answered, "but if these nightmares persist, I suggest that you tell them to someone close to you. Sometimes simply seeking counsel from a friend can be all one needs to help solve their problems."

Tala set her jaw, angry that Master Young would even touch her after making it quite clear how much she disgusted him from the moment they met. He had made it his mission for the past year to make Tala miserable, running her on extra sets and pushing her to her limits. He even wouldn’t let her  _ speak _ unless it was absolutely perfect, and would punish her with extra laps, if she struggled too long to find the right words! Why should he care, now!

Tala ripped her shoulder away from him and glared at the master square in his eyes.

"Thank you," she bit, bowing, "Master."

Master Young looked shocked, his hand still hovering in the air as if he did not know what else to do with it. He curled it into a fist, his face hardening as it clenched, and brought it back down to his side. 

"Alright," he said, with another curt nod. "Be sure to rest, then. I expect you to be running the obstacle course at daybreak tomorrow morning, with the other warriors."

Tala clenched her fists but said nothing, trying not to tell him things she would regret later, or even worse- to say them in Wuopyisho, and nodded in acceptance of the order.

Master Young gave her a look over with a judging flick of his eyes and said, "Good night, then," before dismissing her with the turn of his back.

She hated him. Master Young had warned her, but Tala couldn't help herself. She would never forget those words he told her a year ago, when she began Dragon training. He wanted her dead.  He couldn’t kill her outright, but maybe he would get his wish by running her ragged. 

Master Young hardly let Tala have any rest at all. He would push her until she was tired and worn, then push her further, sometimes until she collapsed. And now with these nightmares she had been having, Tala could hardly stay awake at all. It was a wonder she could still move. Fire ran from Tala’s fingers up to her shoulders at the mere gaul he had to pretend to care. Tala bit the inside of her cheek to keep from screaming.

She slowed her brisk pace as she passed by the kitchens, scanning the windows for any sign of Jia. The clanging of pots and the scent of searing pork wafted from the open window. Yuma’s shouting could be heard, ordering the girls around to do one task or the other. Tala smiled, a hand over her heart, remembering when she met Jia, and worked as a maid with her those several weeks she had spent in the kitchens, after her arrival. 

After her first night living in the monks’ quarters, Tala and Jia had been separated, slowly spending more and more time away from each other over the past year, as Tala’s training grew more rigorous. Even so, Tala loved sneaking away to share tea with her, and swapping secrets and ways to meditate, in order to keep their unique magics from flying out of control.  

‘ _ Perhaps now that the mid-quarter assessments are over, _ ’ Tala thought, brightening, ‘I can spend more time with Jia again! I feel like it’s been ages since our last talk! She’ll be impressed with how much I can say, now!’

But still, listening to Yuma’s hollering and the chattering of the girls inside as they worked, Tala hesitated. Any one of the maids, or even Yuma, could listen in on them. She couldn’t risk exposing Jia by asking too many questions.

Tala shook her head at the idea. “ _ No, It’s not like I’d be doing anything wrong. I’m visiting a friend! A Xiaolin monk can do that, _ ” she reasoned to herself, out loud. “ _ Maybe I’ll  just stop in and say h _ -”

A playful slap on her shoulder nearly tossed Tala to the ground. “ _ Hellllo _ , Short Stuff!”

“Chase!” Tala snapped right back into common words, whirling on him and rubbing the sore spot out of her neck. “No  _ doing  _ that! You know I hate you scaring me!”

Chase crossed his arms, pretending to pout. “It’s not  _ my _ fault your tiger instincts are slower than a snail.”

“Tiger instincts _ ,” _ Tala growled, leaving the kitchens behind. “Not  _ have _ tiger instincts.”

“Sure you do!” said Chase, his pace falling in time with hers. “Every Xiaolin monk does!”

Tala tossed her arms into the air. “Then, why cannot I make Apprentice rank, after all my big work-”

"Hard work,” Chase interjected. 

“I am useless!” cried Tala, angrily. “Why cannot I do it?!”

“Because It’s been only, what, a year?” said Chase, turning his face to the sun. “You’ve only just begun your training, Tala. You’ll get there.”

The knot in Tala’s throat dropped to her stomach. “Master Young think it not so.”

Chase slowed his footsteps, his cheery smile fading. 

“Hey,” he said. “You know, you’re not the only one he’s ever said that to. My dad’s just…  _ like _ that.”

Tala sighed and nodded, understanding.

“He hurt Guan, too,” Tala added, inwardly wincing at her own behavior on the Sands during their fight. “He was big sa- upset. Feel sorry for him. Guan did his best.”

Chase shrugged, sympathy lacing his small smile. 

“Master Young’s hard on everyone,” he said, patting her head, “even me.”

Tala pushed his hand away. 

“Even  _ you _ ?” she asked. “But you are money warrior hero!?”

“Money  _ what? _ ” Chase laughed, “Tala, come on. Speak normally, and stop trying to say things you don’t understand.”

“Meant that..” Tala rubbed the side of her head, trying to think. “What is word Jia used.. Gold man? Treasure boy? It means best warrior?”

“Golden boy?” Chase prompted. 

“Yeah!” 

Chase smiled, averting his eyes. 

“Yeah, well,” he said, “I don’t know about  _ that _ , but listen. Nothing any of us does is really good enough for Master Young, anyway. You kinda get used to it. Just don’t sweat it so much, okay?”

“Sweat?” Tala asked. “It is not hot, today. You may have fever.”

Chase rolled his eyes.

“I meant don’t worry about it,” he said. “You’re doing just fine, in my opinion. You know, if the word of the ‘money warrior hero’ means anything to you.”

_“Aitai!”_ Tala squealed, hitting him, playfully. “No making fun! I am trying!”

“I kinda like it,” Chase teased. “Anyway, you really shouldn’t let Dad get to you.”

Tala sighed, “You are right.”

“I’m  _ totally _ right,” Chase beamed. “I’m an expert!”

He broke pace, and jogged ahead. 

“Now, come on,” he called. “Let’s go for a run before Master Honghui catches us, and makes us do chores!”

Tala rolled her eyes, catching up to him.

“Do you always must make me go?” she asked, “You think I am your- what is word? Proto- pra... Means student, but more?”

“Protege,” said Chase, patting her head again. “And, you  _ are _ my protege!”

“No,” Tala clipped. “You are just my superior.”

“ _ Yeah _ , your superior who is superiorly awesome!” 

He laughed when Tala punched his arm.

“Let us go, already,” she huffed.

Chase poked her shoulder. “Tag, you’re it!”

“Tag?!” Tala whined, chasing after him. “I very dislike tag!”

Chase jogged backwards, sticking out his tongue.

“You’re the only kid who hates tag!” he said. “Besides, it beats chores. We’re going the long way.”

“ _ Noooo, _ ” Tala groaned, jogging after him. 


	7. Chapter 7

Seven_ Dashi 

"Not have to keep doing this, Chase," said Tala. “You need sleep, too.”

"Hey, it's my job, right?" he told her, with an easy smile. "Besides, who else is going to make sure you get back to sleep in the middle of the night?"

"Could ask Jia to," she suggested, untying the tail ends of her braids.

Chase frowned, pulling the sheet up to her chin. Jia, that stupid maid. She was all Tala ever talked about, since moving out of the kitchens. 

Jia had found out about Tala a year ago, and blamed Chase for the masters finding out about Tala's magic. She had kept silent so far, but Chase had a bad feeling in his gut, especially with the way she looked at him whenever they crossed paths. He should have slapped her and her smart mouth when he had the chance. Chase grit his jaw, remembering what she had said to him, that day.

"No," said Chase, "you don't want to risk it. I'm the only one besides the masters who knows, remember? You don't want to accidentally expose yourself."

He felt a little bad as he watched Tala’s face fall into sullenness. He noticed that she clenched a bit of the blanket in her fist, and her eyes were hazy. He had to look away for a moment.

‘Sorry, kid,' he thought as he prepared the candle beside himself in silence. 'I know you’re lonely, but I hate your friend.'

Besides, he couldn't risk Jia taking Tala's trust away from him, yet. Not until he got the information that he wanted out of her.

"Are you  _ true  _ that you can stay awake tonight?" she asked him, a yawn swallowing the end of her question. "You work much hard at the assessments, too. You need sleep."

“That’s not how you say- you know what, I’ll let it slide, since you’re tired,” he said, as Tala closed her eyes.

Chase smiled, watching Tala burrow a little further into the comforter. She was a cute little kid, he had to admit, when she acted like a normal one for a change.

Spending a year as her guardian was hardly easy, but with enough patience and a little charm, Chase earned some respect from Tala, at the very least. Taking her along on his runs helped, and it starved off the loneliness for both of them as they talked, he had to admit. They had even begun to bond over talking about their lives before meeting, though Tala always grew scarily quiet, whenever he even attempted to bring up her magic and the origins of it.  She wouldn’t even exchange what little foreign words she used in front of him, despite Chase tutoring her on how to speak the common language properly every single day. 

Even though she remained ever secretive about her powers, Chase was finally beginning to find a place in Tala’s heart as a friend, or so he hoped. It was a start, at least. That's why he couldn't afford any naysayers like Jia screwing up his chance at getting Tala to trust him enough to teach him how to use magic. Chase was determined. If there was even the smallest possibility that he could learn too, then he was not going to take any chances.

“See, you’re tired,” said Tala. Her groggy accent was hard to understand, when it snapped Chase from his thoughts. 

“Call Jia,” she insisted, with a yawn. “Go home.”

Chase slapped on another smile, tucking in the corners of the blanket around Tala’s neck.

“No, I’m fine. Get some sleep,” he urged, quietly. “I’ll make sure nothing bad happens to you.”

Tala smiled back at him, her half-moon eyes crinkling because of her round cheeks.

"Promise to wake me up when things float," she reminded him. "Even if I do not cry."

"Relax, Brave Girl," he assured her, poking the middle of Tala's forehead. "I haven't let you down yet, have I?"   
  
She giggled and brushed his hand away.

"Thank you," she said, closing her eyes. 

"You know, Tal," said Chase, leaning his back against the wall as she settled in.

"Mmhmn,"

"Maybe I wouldn't have to keep watch for you so much," he suggested, "if you let me help you work on your magic."

"Mmm,"

"So you wouldn't feel so stressed out, I mean."

"Mmn,"

"Not that-" he struggled, "well, I mean, you shouldn't have to do  _ everything _ by yourself, right? I just think it'd be a little bit easier for you if- If I were there to- um, for  _ moral _ support."

"Mmnhmn,"

"You think that's a good idea, don't you?"

Tala didn't answer. 

Chase turned his head to see her curled up on the mat, a ball beneath the blanket, breathing shallowly. He sighed; damn, so close too. Oh well, at least she was asleep. The kid had earned her rest.

Chase leaned back, turning his eyes above. The candle beside him flickered, the dull light dancing on the ceiling peacefully. He wondered if someday he could make those flames dance through his fingers. He rubbed his hands together, their chalky dryness heating them up.

Chase longed for it. He could not understand why, but he wanted magic more than anything. He wanted to feel the flames without burning his palms, to hold the very essence of power and passion in his hands. He wanted what should always have been his. He wanted to  _ be _ fire. 

But for now, Chase had to be patient. Tala herself was still a novice, and if magic were anything like the martial arts, it would take quite some time for her to truly master anything. She would not be able to teach him until the day came when she could stand out in the open without the fear of hurting anybody else with her gifts. It was that same fear that held her back from doing exactly what she was striving for. It was a little more than infuriating for him to watch. He did not want to admit it, but he kind of hated her for that.

Chase watched the lights on the ceiling swirl hypnotically, and yawned. Well, Tala was right about one thing- he  _ was _ tired. Chase yawned again, feeling his eyelids fall. He needed sleep…. Maybe just twenty minutes. He could worry about getting Tala to trust him, when they both had fresher minds.

* * *

Tala felt the dust and pebbles under her bare feet. She could smell the cooking fires in the huts of the other villagers, nearby. Papa was selling a part of their harvest from the past spring, squabbling over prices with an older man, speaking common words. She watched him placidly, feeling very small beside the two men, listening but not understanding.

"Here,  _ Suxiao, _ " said Mama with a smile, reaching her arms out to Tala. "Come to Mama."

Tala lifted her arms and let her mother cradle her against her shoulder. Sleepily, Tala rested her chin in the crook of her mother's neck, breathing in the scent of cloves.

She hated when Mama's hair was in a braid. Mama always wore it down at home, but never in public. She always told Tala it was more polite to, but she always looked a little sad when saying it. It wasn't until the day Mama died that Tala understood why.

" _ Hello, sweet girl _ ," murmured Mama in their shared language, running her fingers through Tala's hair, " _ you will grow up brave and strong _ ."

Mama's hand stopped petting. It hung loosely, with Tala's curls still wrapped around her fingers. A sharp pain dug into the back of Tala's neck,mother's nails digging into it. Tala panicked and tried to break free, but the pain grew worse and ran deeper. Her mother's fingers felt like knives burrowing into her skin.

" _ Mama _ !" she cried. " _ You're hurting me! Stop, Mama, stop! _ "

" _ The truth is, Tala Bao, _ " hissed Mama, holding her at arms-length. " _ I don't trust you _ ."

Mama smiled, the sweetness of it making Tala sick. It was all wrong. She looked like Mama, smelled like Mama, but the woman holding her looked at Tala with a stranger's eyes. The silvery-white she was used to seeing wasn't there. Her mother's eyes had turned an acidic green.

_ "Mama _ ," begged Tala, " _ please don't hurt me! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to leave you! I'm sorry! _ "

" _ Oh, Suxiao _ ," cooed Mama. Dark marks began to etch themselves into Mama's cheeks. They swam out from below her horrible green eyes, fanning out like the feathers of a bird. She pulled Tala close again and kissed her forehead, whispering, " _ This is for your own good. _ "

Mama hooked Tala onto a pole. By what seemed like magic, ropes tightened around Tala's arms.

" _ No, no, no, no _ ," she begged, frantically, " _ Mama, stop! _ "

Tala struggled to break free, as she began to smell the smoke. She didn't have to look down to know that there were sticks burning beneath her feet. Instead, she looked at Mama, who stood there smiling, a disturbing look of motherly pride shining through it.

" _ Mama, please _ ," begged Tala as smoke and tears blurred her mother's face. " _ Please, help me!" _

" _ No, Tala, _ " she heard her mother say, as the fire flared up and engulfed her vision. " _ Help yourself. _ "

Tala jolted, relieved that she was lying on solid ground, safe and sound. She fought against tears, trying to catch her breath in the darkness, wondering desperately where Chase was. He was supposed to wake her up!

A snore cued Tala to look look at her side. Chase was lying soundly asleep beside her, curled up comfortably next to her mat, in spite of the hard floor. His candle had burned out, making it safe to guess that he had been sleeping for a while. It was a wonder the room hadn't caught on fire.

" _ Shatuy _ ," she hissed.

Tala pushed herself up, scanning the room to see what she had disturbed with her magic. Nothing seemed really amiss, and Tala sighed with relief. She glared at Chase again, and his response was a rather loud snore.

“ _ Lazybones _ ,” she grumbled in Wupoyiso, under her breath. “ _ You’re never there when I need you _ .”

Tala grabbed her night coat, oversized and borrowed from the extra stocks, and slid open the patio door. Snow had freshly fallen on the ground, reminding Tala of the night she had met that idiot, Chase Young, a year ago. Even the tree beside the koi pond bridge overlooking her quarters, though it was a small decorative one instead of a willow, reminded her of him. She hated it.

Tala wanted to scream, but held her rage in, bottling herself up with the folding of her arms. It was a cold night at least, so the air felt fresh in her lungs, but this calmed her down only a little. Tala's heart still raced with the memory of the dream.

Those eyes. Why did she dream of her mother having such vividly green eyes? And those markings… Tala shivered against the cold, wondering what it all meant.

She stared at the small pond, leaning her body against one of the bridge's wooden poles. The water had frozen over, already. She wished that time could freeze like ice, so that she could sleep without dreaming. Tala was beginning to grow sick of dreams.

She absentmindedly played with one of her curls. Her hair had become tangled from sleeping on it, and she pulled out a few strands by accident, when her fingers got caught in a snag. 

Tala tensed at the sharp tug, reminding herself of the nightmare. She punched the pole with a growl, and instantly regretted it. Sucking on her fingers, she hissed another curse through her teeth.

The thicket beside her, leaves turned brown from the frost, rustled. Tala yelped and flinched, holding her hands up when something flew at her face. Cringing, she waited for whatever it was to attack, but nothing happened. Tala slowly brought herself to look up, and with awe realized that it was a bird suspended in the air.

" _ What _ ?" she whispered, both relieved and in shock. The spotted dove was trapped mid-flap, his wings bent and his tail flared outward.

" _ I...froze time, _ " said Tala. " _ Or, at least, I froze  _ _ you _ _. _ "

"No way,"

Tala turned, her panic releasing the dove. It fluttered away, making a hasty retreat above the rooftops. Tala, however, was not so lucky. She was caught in the sights of a boy who stood behind her, open mouthed.

Slowly, Tala turned to fully face him, not wanting to startle the elder boy into attacking her. She didn't bother running, not this time. She knew who he was. 

Though he hardly ever came to class, the boy’s black and white robes lead Tala to the assumption that this was the elusive Water monk, Dashi. She’s seen him several times across the lake, sneaking out of his Suite just before sunrise on most mornings, but until now had never spoken to him. 

"Can explain it," she insisted quickly in common tongue, holding her hands up in surrender, before he could say anything.

Dashi stood there, still blinking as if he himself had just awoken from a dream. He looked rather funny, wrapped up in his black night coat and thick boots. Honestly, he looked like a freshly laid egg, with his shiny bald head resting upon the thick scarf. Whether it was from the odd-looking sight, or just from being fed up and at her wits end, Tala snorted.

"Do you think this is funny?" snapped Dashi, the spell breaking as he stormed toward her.

Tala backed up, clinging to the pole of the bridge, as Dashi got into her face. She shrunk into her shoulders, trying to make herself smaller.

"Do you know what could have happened if someone else saw you?" he demanded, reminding Tala of the words Chase himself had once told her.

"Actually-"

"You need to be more careful," he said, sternly. "Absolutely nobody can find out about this!"

Tala looked at Dashi, her face scrunching with confusion. " _Deir_? I-uh, what?"

Dashi was glaring, but behind his anger lay concern.

"You know what I said," he told her.

Tala shook her head.

“Speak too fast,” she mumbled. 

Dashi looked a little confused at first, but then said a bit more slowly, “It's for your own good. We have to keep quiet about this."

For her own good. Tala looked away, remembering her nightmare, again. She shivered.

"Why?" she asked, her fingers curling around the fabric of her night coat.

" _ Why _ ?" he echoed. "Because even if you  _ are _ destined to be a Xiaolin Dragon, they'll kill you! Being a witch is punishable by death, remember?"

Tala glared at him.

"What you want of me?" she snapped, cursing herself for choking up in front of a near stranger. 

Dashi backed away half a step, as if she had slapped him. 

"What makes you think I want something?" he asked. "I just don't want to see a little kid get herself hurt.”

Embarrassed, Tala folded her arms. 

"Not a child," she snapped. "I am twelve years, a-and no need of your help!"

"You're a child, to me," he offered, smiling.

"Bored," huffed Tala, turning her back on him. 

She tried to calm herself down, watching the snow now beginning to fall dust the surface of the ice.

"So, those rumors from last year  _ were  _ true," mused Dashi. He stood beside Tala now, watching the peaceful scene with her. "I just assumed people were picking on the new kid, so I didn’t really pay attention.”

Tala shrugged.

 "The Elders said not to tell,” she said. “Must be my big future to help the Xiaolin Dragons with magic, but... How to say, if all people found out, there would be… bad stuff.”

Tala raised her hands above her head, and half-heartedly went, “Ahhhhh.”

Dashi sniggered. 

“Do you mean chaos, or something?” he asked. 

Tala nodded. “Or something. Very dangerous. The only magic people anymore are the-”

Tala pressed her hand to her stomach when it flipped, and her throat ran dry, closing up on the ugly word. 

“Witches?” Dashi finished for her, staring down at Tala from the corners of his eyes, frowning.

Shyly, she looked at him out of the corner of her eye too, shrugging.

“Elders call me that, but  dislike how it is said,” said Tala. “Very different, in Mama’s words. Ugly sound, in yours.”

“What is it?” asked Dashi.

Tala shrugged again, looking away. Dashi shifted his weight, as awkwardness filled the space between them. 

A blush brought heat up into Tala's neck when she said, “Sorry, for not telling. It was all bad idea."

"What makes you say that?" asked Dashi with his own shrug. "You belong here as much as the rest of us, if the Council picked you."

"You not know."

Dashi folded his arms with a huff, looking Tala full on now. "And you're not going to tell me, are you?"

Tala looked to the lake. "No."

“So.. _.You're  _ the chosen one, huh?” he asked.

“No! Not call me that!” said Tala. “That is Chase, I think. He is Golden Boy.”

Dashi shrugged, dismissively. “Arguable.”

Tala sighed, angrily.

“Not know if I  _ can _ help magic,” she said, “Very much bad ide-  _ mistake _ ? Big mistake, very big.”

Dashi raised an eyebrow at her self-correction. “Huh.”

“What?” Tala snapped. “Trying to learn best words! Anyway, my martial arts no good. Cannot even hold Horse Stance, right.”

“Yeaaah, I don’t think we have anything to fear from you,” said Dashi.  He paused, then asked, "Are you scared?"

"Little, not much," Tala admitted. "Can do magic better now, and Chase watches for me...oh, watches  _ out _ for me.”

‘And Jia,’ she added silently, fighting a smile.

"Is  _ that  _ why you guys spend so much time together," he sniggered, "and here I thought the two of you were sneaking off to be alone."

Tala whipped her head to look at him, horrified. "No!"

Dashi giggled harder, nearly doubling into himself. 

"Yeah," he admitted, still chuckling. "Guan and I were taking bets to see which one of you were going to announce the engagement first!”

Tala pushed him, causing Dashi to stumble as he burst out into full laughter.

"I'm sorry!" he cried, still laughing as he sat on the ground."I'm sorry! It's just too funny!"

" _ Shatuy _ ," growled Tala, bending down beside him. "Alright, now? Sorry I pushed you."

Dashi recomposed himself, and lightly nudged her shoulder with his.

"Yeah," he said. "Are we okay?"

"How to 'be okay,' if we are not friends?"

Silence filled the space between them, made heavier by the falling snow and bitter air. The two watched the clouds of their breath dance up toward the stars above the koi pond. It was a beautiful night. Dashi leaned back onto his hands and Tala joined him, craning her neck to admire the moon.

"Do you want to be friends?" he suddenly asked.

"Not know if we _ can  _ be friends. Too many secrets," Tala admitted.

"What about Chase?" he suggested. "You care about him at least, right?"

Tala had to think about that. Over the past year, she opened up a little more to him; she had to, really. He was the only person she could actually be around and talk to when Jia was too busy to meet with, but she had to admit it was still very hard to trust him. She certainly liked Chase, but Tala also could not help the feeling that something about their relationship was not quite right. Tala sighed.

“No clue, huh?” Dashi asked.

Tala scrunched up her nose. “What is clue?”

“Forget it,” said Dashi. “So,  _ are _ you and Chase friends? It’s important, you know. For team morale.”

“Morale,” Tala echoed, flatly.

“Uh-” Dashi rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s like.. team spirit?”

“There are spirits?!” Tala asked, her jaw dropping. She looked around, shoulders stiff, to see if any were wandering around the grounds.

“No, no, I mean,” stammered Dashi, waving his hands, “it’s like, you know, wanting everyone to get along.”

“Oh..” she said, hugging her knees. “Maybe?” 

"When you figure it out," he said, "tell me."

He sounded like Jia; perhaps that was why she was beginning to like him. She shrugged the feeling off, and changed the subject. "Tell no one, or worse will happen."

Dashi snorted, which Tala took as a yes. He nudged her shoulder again, to get her attention.

"Hey," he said, when Tala looked at him. "You don't have to threaten me-”

Tala tensed. She squeaked, “- _ Threaten  _ you?”

He pressed a finger to his lips with a smile and a wink. “My lips are sealed, kid."

Tala blushed, realizing that he was playing, though she didn’t know what that meant.

"Thank you," she said, "but why do you protect me? We are strangers."

"Look," said Dashi, "I don't know who told you that people need something in return for your safety, but you're one of us. The Xiaolin Dragons need to look out for each other."

With a wink he added, "Even if none of us are Dragons yet. Right, Chosen One?”

Tala balked. 

“I am not _ Chosen One _ ,” she insisted. “Not even a One.”

“Yeah, you are,” said Dashi. “One little _pain in the neck_! Seriously, how could you not have let your own team in on this plan you have with the masters?”

Tala’s face flushed as she giggled.

“Is not   _ plan, _ ” she admitted. “They want me to.. to  _ practice _ ?..not to hurt people. Grand Master Wei wants to tell all Temple people I do good magic… or something.”

Tala rested her chin on her arms, watching the lake again. A few stars twinkled beneath the haze of the moon.

“Well,” said Dashi, breaking the silence, “I won’t say anything, but I want you to know I’m around for support, if you need it.”

Tala's blush deepened. She hid the embarrassment by burrowing her face into her arms. He really  _ was _ just like Jia.

"What’s up?" Dashi asked, ducking his head to try to look under Tala’s elbow, a grin of his own forming at the corners of his mouth. “What are you smiling about?”

Tala moved away, kicking up snow, and covered her mouth, to hide her grin. 

"No things," she mumbled behind her fingers.

"You were smiling about something," he teased, leaning over. "Was it Chase?"

Tala whacked him, spitting out a "No!" with a horrified laugh.

"You  _ so _ were!" he insisted. "Oh, Chase~"

"Stop your mouth!” she cried, laughing with him. She pushed Dashi again, and he stumbled over, giggling.

"Chase~" he laughed, imitating her accent terribly, as he rolled around.  "I love you, Chase!"

Tala giggled and giggled, until her sides hurt and she was out of breath. 

They lay in the snow after that, looking up at the passing clouds and stars. The pair had fallen into a comfortable silence. It seemed the whole world did. Tala turned her head to look at Dashi. He was looking at the sky. Tala rolled over to face him.

“Dashi?”

Dashi looked at her with surprise, fog pouring out of his slightly-parted mouth. 

“Should go back to houses, before we sick,” she said, quietly. “You have no cold?”

Dashi shook his head a little. “No.”

“Not me, too,” Tala whispered.

“Hey, Tala?” asked Dashi, after another pause.

“Yes?”

“Are you speaking backwards because you don’t know,” he asked, grinning, “or are you just trying to make me laugh?”

“Not know well,” said Tala, smiling, “but also funny to hear you laugh.”

“Tell me a joke,” said Dashi. 

Tala thought for a second, scrunching her face up as she tried to think of a simple one to say in his language. 

“To why is a pig called a warrior?”

Dashi looked confused, though he still smiled. “What?”

“The pig is pork chops,” said Tala.

Her face went red, when Dashi didn’t laugh.

“Think I spoke wrong,” she said, shyly.

“I have one,” said Dashi. “What is brown and sticky?”

“Not know.”

“A stick.”

Tala bit the inside of her cheek, too stubborn to smile. “Bad.”

“Hey, don’t judge someone until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes,” said Dashi.

“Why?”

“That way,” said Dashi, “when you  _ do _ judge them, you’ll be a mile away, and you’ll have their shoes, so they can’t run after you.”

Tala snorted, and they both burst into another fit of giggles.   
  
  



	8. Chapter 8

Eight_ The Reality of Dreams 

_ A flash of green. _

Tala dodged another punch.

_ A woman's laugh.  _

Tala shook the images off. She ducked low, sweeping her leg out. Guan jumped over it.

'I'm tired,' she insisted to herself, as she avoided his kick. It was nothing. It had to be nothing.

_ A man fell, tripping just behind his fleeing family, only to be crushed by the foot of a rock giant. His wife screamed with terror. _

Tala blocked Guan's other foot as it came up to hit her chin and pushed it away from her, using the gap between them to roll and slide. She swept her other leg up to trip him.

'Focus, Tala,' she thought. ‘They're just dreams!'

Guan jumped back, avoiding Tala's foot. He crouched into a stance, ready to attack her again.

_ The woman was snatched up by the giant, her screams cut short by the merciless crunch of the beast's teeth severing her head. It dropped her body _ .

Tala used the momentum of her roll to stand up, only to be kicked in the head mid-stance.

_ A man was herding the other people who were running away from the rock giants. He looked up as a shadow overtook him. The crows’ feet at the corners of his blue eyes smoothed when they widened with horror, and pink lips peeking out from his salt and pepper whiskers rounded with a silent scream. He threw up his arms to uselessly shield himself as the fist came down. _

‘Papa?!’ 

Tala was knocked back down to the ground with a sickening crack. Her skull was pounding. She lay there, trying not to panic, the image of her father still fresh in her mind. All she could hear was buzzing.

Tala sat up, but Guan was gone. The vision had overtaken her. Her head and heart throbbed together as the world around Tala slowed to a standstill.

It was Mama standing there. Her back to Tala, looking over a landscape of villages awashed in flames.

" _ Mama? _ " she called, but Tala could not hear her own voice above the buzzing. " _ Mama? _ "

She struggled to stand, staggering to keep her balance. The blow to Tala's head bit into her with sharp teeth.

Mama turned, but it wasn't her. Illuminated by the glow of the fire behind, it was the Mama from Tala's nightmare. With her green eyes holding no recognition of her daughter's voice, she smiled. Mama's lips curled up past her fangs, like a wolf about to devour its prey. Tala took a step back, preparing herself to run.

The buzzing stopped. A whisper filled her head, instead. It was angry, raspy and filled with hatred- a voice unlike any other Tala had ever heard. It curled around her ears and scratched deeply into her chest like poison, as it said, “ _ I am coming for you, Tala. _ ”

As the vision faded, Tala crumpled to her knees, the world turning black. Before the darkness overtook her, she saw Guan run to catch her, calling her name without sound.

* * *

Silence filled Tala's head with wool. Warm light spilled past her eyelids, heavy on her face. Tala wondered if she would still be trapped in the vision, if she opened her eyes.

She took a deep breath, waking up the rest of her body, and faced her fears. There was no vision. Just the wooden ceiling splashed with sunlight. Tala watched the dust motes dance above her in the light from the window, feeling rather calm, in spite of everything else.

"You're awake," said Chase. His voice, though soft from the block in her ears, was easily recognizable.

Tala's head felt heavy, pulling on her neck painfully, when she gingerly turned it to face him. Chase smiled hesitantly, leaning his elbows on her bed. He reached out a hand and felt her forehead with the back of it gently, the hardness of his knuckles just barely touching her skin.

"Yes," whispered Tala, the harshness of her dry throat dulling her voice.

"I'm glad," he said with a nervous laugh. "I was worried there, for a second."

"How long was my sleep?" she asked, as Chase took his hand away and propped his chin up by his hands.

"A couple of hours at best," he told her, shrugging. "We thought you were okay when you got up, but it looks like Guan kicked you a little harder than we realized. You stood there for a couple of seconds, then you just dropped."

His amber eyes were brightened by the way the sun hit them, reminding Tala of the old tom cat that used to hang around by the kitchens. They watched her with gentleness, the softness of them reminding her of honey.

"Why you look that way?" she asked.

"I'm just happy that you're alright."

Past him, on the windowsill, was an odd-looking shape. Encased in the shadow of the corner, Tala saw what looked like a bean standing upright on its own. Tala sat up, nursing the side of her head with her palm. She blinked, clearing her eyes to get a second look, but by then the bean was gone.

"Hey, you're not looking too good," said Chase, putting a hand on Tala's shoulder to keep her steady.

"Dizzy," she said, reasoning to herself that she really had just imagined the strange little shadow.

Chase placed his other hand on her shoulder, bringing Tala's attention back to his face. His thick eyebrows were knitted, stitched together with the bright thread of concern. 

"You didn't look so good out in the Training Sands, either," he added. "What was distracting you?"

Tala leaned back, annoyed. 

"No things," she said, but Chase's wide eyes were accusing.

"I know it's not nothing," he told her. "Was it the same thing that's been giving you nightmares?"

"No," she lied.

"And why do you keep having the nightmares, anyway?" he asked. "Why won't you talk about them?"

"Not tell," growled Tala, heat building up in her fingertips. She curled them in tightly, willing it away.

"Seriously?" Chase scoffed. "It's not like I'm the one who's woken you up every night for the past two months to keep your magic from throwing things everywhere!"

"Look," said Tala, staring down at the blanket now bunched up in her hands. "Not tell any people. Too… what is word?"

“Important?” Chase drawled.

“Private,” Tala bit, remembering. 

Chase leaned down, placing a heavy and warm hand on her back. 

"You can tell me," he said with a smile. "I've kept everything else a secret so far, haven't I?"

That smile looked a little bit too hopeful for Tala's liking. Besides, she still hadn't forgiven him for falling asleep on her the other night. She narrowed her eyes and flatly said, "No."

Chase's smile dropped like a stone, his own eyes narrowing. In the same tone of voice he said, "Really?"

"Not tell, Chase."

He rolled his eyes with a goofy grin and stood up. Chase ruffled the top of her head lightly, the curls at the top staying in place. 

"Fine," said Chase, lightly, "but if you ever feel like telling someone- you know, to help yourself feel better- just give me a heads up, okay? I'm willing to listen."

Sadly, he possibly was the only person who would. But, to be honest, Chase would be the last person Tala would ever choose for council. She wished that she could trust him, but just couldn't in spite of all of her best efforts to.

"Get some rest," Chase ordered, before stepping out the door. Turning around to point at her, he added, "and no more nightmares, got it?"

Tala rolled her eyes, smiling, and waved him off. Chase winked and then he was gone, immediately followed up by Guan.

The sheer mass of him filled the doorway as he ducked to walk in, looking rather awkward. Guan stood at the end of the bed, his eyes downcast, and his presence distant, though he was only standing about three feet away from her.

"Hi," Tala encouraged, shyly.

His eyes flicked up to meet hers, before looking down at his hands again. 

"Hi," he grunted.

Guan cleared his throat and fidgeted, unsure about what to do with his hands before resting one on the back of his head, as if he had meant to check the quality at the top of his braid. "How are you-" he muttered, nervously. "How are you feeling, Tala?"

Tala smiled, feeling bad for him, and nodded.

"Have you had trouble, because of me?” she asked.

"No," he assured her, "but I do apologize. I knew that you were distracted and followed through with it, anyway. I suppose I was still a bit sore from the assessments."

Heat crawled up Tala's neck as she remembered the uppercut she had sent to his jaw. 

" _ I  _ am sorry," she said. “Trick  _ was _ dirty. We are together the same, now.”

“Do you mean that we are even?”

Tala nodded.

"I am glad that you are well, then," he said, awkwardly turning to leave.

"Wait."

Guan turned back, looking mildly surprised.

"Together, not friends," she said, "but we should try...right?"

"What do you suggest?"

Tala nodded to the chair, and Guan took the invitation to sit. Looking rather uncomfortable, he hunched over in the tiny space, waiting for Tala's answer with patient silence.

"We spar much, together," she said pensively, regretting her words and wondering if it was too late to back out.

"Yes," he said with a nod, "we do."

Feeling a bit foolish, she said, trying to remember the word Dashi used,  “Together, should try..  _ moral,  _ for team?"

"You wish for us to know each other better,” Guan said, smirking a little, “for team  _ morale _ ?”

Tala nodded, embarrassment slapping her cheeks. She wasn’t sure if he had meant to correct her, or was just clarifying her intention. She hoped he hadn’t meant to sound so condescending. 

Guan stared at her silently for a moment, before saying, "You're right, Tala, we are not friends."

Tala looked at her hands, ashamed to even suggest something so ridiculous to a person whom she had not given so much as a smile to, since the day they met.

"But," he added, to which Tala flinched, "I would like to be."

She looked at him, nearly swallowing her tongue. "Yes?!"

Guan smiled.  

"What would you like to know?" he asked.

"Where you come from," admitted Tala, shyly. "Chase said you not be grow with him."

"I am from a village in the northern mountains," he said. "We were exiled, when the Heylin invaded and retook the high peaks. I was still a very small child at the time, but I remember that day, and the witch’s face, quite clearly. My parents and I traveled for several years, until we reached the Xiaolin Temple. We were lucky to have escaped with our lives. Most of the village did not. So, you are right. I did not ‘grow’ with Chase. I grew up while on the road, and came to the Xiaolin Temple, the year I turned eleven. It was then, that we met."

There was that word again, Heylin. Something itched at the back of Tala's mind. It echoed, like the soft ringing of a bell. It drew her in curiosity, but she pushed it away.

"What is those?" she asked, pointing to the string of large beads around his neck, but not knowing the common word for them. 

"My father was a respected holy man from our village, and when he died a few summers ago,  he passed these beads on to me," said Guan, rubbing the chain between his finger and thumb thoughtfully.  "I wear them in honor of him. I like to remember where my roots lie."

"Roots...good," agreed Tala enthusiastically, not actually knowing the meaning of the word, but she didn’t want to seem rude. 

Noticing white markings on some of them, she pointed again, and asked, "What is those?"

Guan looped the chain of beads over his head and passed it to her. 

"They are words," he said. "The characters of life and death; rebirth, endings, and beginnings."

Tala stared at the white characters blankly, running her thumb over the one on the bead in her hand.

"What is the matter?" he asked, leaning closer.

"No read," she admitted, handing the chain back to him, "Men’s words, beautiful."

"I should have known," said Guan, softly. "Forgive me."

Tala shook her head, saying, "No speak well, anyway."

Guan smiled, his smirk thoughtful and playful. Tala narrowed her eyes, wondering what was so funny. Guan chuckled, possibly because of the look on her face.

"What?"

"I think that,  _ maybe _ ,” he said, hesitantly, his smile almost becoming a frown, “I should teach you to read.”

Flustered, Tala’s cheeks ran hot. She threw her hands up, waving away the idea, crying, “No! Bad speak! No read!”

“That’s not true,” said Guan. “You are speaking very well, right now! You may even be able to speak more eloquently, as you learn. As the first mark of our friendship, allow me to teach you how to read."

"Me," she choked, "read?"

" _ And  _ write," Guan added, with a smile. "As a Xiaolin Dragon, you should be able to at least do that."

“But-”

“Master Young always told us to sharpen our minds and our spirits, as well as our bodies,” said Guan. “It is important for us, as the protectors of the world, to have a full mastery of the three. Reading will sharpen your mind, and speaking well will be good for your spirit."

Tala slapped one hand over the other quickly, panicking when heat burned them. Of course Master Young did not tell her this! She wrung her hands, trying to calm herself down, but she was too angry. Her nails bit into her skin, as she fought for control against her magic.

"Tala," said Guan, "are you alright?"

Tala tensed and looked at him, digging her nails in harder. Her hands burned, like the crackling heat of a fire.

"Yes," she lied, with a strangling squeak. "Just need sleep."

"Don't worry," he assured her, taking Tala's hands gently. Tala took a calming breath, willing herself to calm down. She was lucky that the fire in her hands obeyed this time.

Guan smiled.  "We will just have to be patient with ourselves.”

 


	9. Chapter 9

Nine_ Learning the Hard Way

Tala spent three months under Guan's tutelage. Though the progress came along slowly, she felt a little more than optimistic about her improvement. To be honest, her ability to read was subpar at best, and her writing skills were horrendous, but at least Tala now could decipher the differences between more than four characters.

Guan was a patient and wonderful teacher, encouraging Tala when she became frustrated and threatened to give up. For the first time in a very long while since coming to the Temple, Tala felt like she might actually have the ability to learn how to speak the common language. There was something about this boy that calmed her anxiety and shyness while speaking, that encouraged her to keep trying, even when she didn’t want to.

Guan was not playful like Dashi, nor demanding like Chase. He wasn’t overly protective and soft with her -like Jia was- either, and pressed Tala firmly to keep speaking and reading until she said it perfectly. Tala truly appreciated him.

"Can you read this for me?" asked Guan, pointing to the stream of characters running down the scroll's paper.

Tala furrowed her brows, struggling to keep her voice in the right set of tones. There was one more extra tone in the common language than Wupoyisho, and Tala could make a sound that was close to it, but she could never get it quite right. "In the...eighth...century, troops from the- _Aitai_."

With a frustrated growl she leaned back, closing her eyes. She sighed roughly, puffing out her cheeks.

"You are doing well, Tala," encouraged Guan. "Do not give up, yet."

He pointed to another row that was shorter than the last, and offered, "Try this one."

"The troops were..hosts of.. dinner party?"

Guan chuckled.

"Given wishes of good fortune," he corrected. "The symbols at the end are different, see? You had _Qing_ right, but you read the next symbol as _Ke,_ an invitation to guests. The true symbol is _An_ , good health."

Tala sighed, "Never going to learn best! Speak never right!"

"We have spent only a few months on this, Tala," he reminded her. "Never say never. You are progressing very fast, actually."

"For girl?" she asked, flatly.

"For someone who is learning in a second language," he said.

“Third,” Tala corrected him, pointing a finger in the air. “ _Is féidir liom teanga mo athair a labhairt_ . Never learn to _read_ , though.”

Guan chuckled. “Fair enough.”

It was true that women in the Temple did not read, and even Jia found it strange that Tala wanted to try her hand at what she and the other maids called ‘men’s letters.’ Tala had grown used to whispers behind her back, the more time she and Guan spent in his suite, because it seemed more plausible that they were using reading as an excuse to be together, rather than Tala really learning anything. The concept that a girl, especially a foreign one who had yet to gain a firm grasp on speaking, was to begin reading and writing was just too strange for them to wrap their minds around. Even Chase laughed in Tala’s face when she told him, because of the stigma.

Tala sighed again, the end of it laced with a yawn. Learning was much more tiring for her than she thought.

"We can rest for awhile," Guan suggested, brightly. "There is nothing more refreshing than conversation and tea."

He reached out behind him and plucked the tea tray from the sun table beside the window, with a grin.

Tala smiled. She could hardly disagree with him. She liked the conversations they had, together. Guan was more open to listening to her than Chase ever was. Where speaking with Chase was always a one-sided conversation, speaking with Guan was a mutual exchange of ideas. She admired his quiet nature for that.

"I actually have a confession to make," said Guan, as he poured the tea for them both. "I never quite understood you."

"Because I not speak well?" she asked, receiving her cup from him with both hands.

“No,” he said, “and you _do_ speak, just not very clearly. I can admit that you are confusing to listen to sometimes, but you are not very hard to understand. I can usually figure it out.”

Guan also placed a plate of biscuits between them. Tala liked to watch his hands move. Every twitch of his fingers, and every subtle twist of his wrists, were meticulous. Tala thought of his Element, Earth, every time she watched Guan’s slow, deliberate movements. She  was mesmerized by how controlled Guan was in everything he did, as steady and unbothered as a mountain. Tala felt a twinge of jealousy at how connected he seemed to his elemental namesake.

"Chase has had a strange interest in you from the start,"  said Guan, "though it is hard to discern the reason. By all standards, you were just a little girl who worked in the kitchens. There was absolutely nothing special about you, but I always caught him sneaking off after practice, or staring off and sitting out of the conversation at mealtimes. One day, my curiosity got the better of me, and I realized that he was not staring off. He was looking at you. You, the tiniest thing in the room, peaked his interest and I could not understand why."

* * *

 

No, Guan knew why. He was just covering his tracks. Why in the world had he thought to bring _this_ up? The slip of his tongue had him grasping for lies instead of truth, but judging by the confusion in Tala's eyes, the embarrassed heat in his neck had not given him away.

Tala looked away from Guan with a distant look in her eye. He noticed her clenching her hands, like she always did, the yellow cloth of her robes crumpled between her fingers.

"I know," she whispered, guilt creping around her tiny voice.

Guan instantly felt guilty, himself, for bringing up Chase's feelings for her. Perhaps it was best to leave this well enough alone.

Damn his curiosity.

"You do?" Guan asked, swallowing the sandpaper down with tea.

"Not to tell," she said, clenching her fists more tightly. "Not much to say. He is only… _forceful?_ "

Guan nearly choked. "Excuse me?"

"What?" Tala perked up, flustered. Guan could barely understand her thick, mumbling voice as she struggled with it. "Oh no, wrong word! Wrong word!”

Guan had to place a hand over his heart to calm down.

“ _Please,_ be more careful with your words, Tala,” he groaned.

Tala sighed, deeply. Her accent still hung like a heavy cloak, but she spoke more clearly at least.

"Chase is a good boy," she insisted, "but he- do not know how best to say-  always to get what he wants. He never left me alone. Day start, day end, he would come to the kitchens, handing torn clothes and speaking too fast. He would not stop, so I gave up, and made his friend."

"His...friend," echoed Guan, his heartbeat slowly returning to normal. Thank goodness; he was about to have the need to speak a few words to that idiot.

"Yes," she said. "Sorry. Speak wrong is special… talent?”

“Close enough,” said Guan, nodding.

“Can never find right words-" Tala stammered, shrugging sheepishly, “S-so try to speak plain with what I remember. Not work, right?”

“No,” said Guan, “but you’ve improved very much. I’m sure that you’ll begin to speak very well, in no time.”

“Guan, sorry,” Tala whispered with a quivering chin, her shimmering eyes downcast. “Spoke wrong and scared you, sorry.”

"Oh, no, no, please," Guan assured her, embarrassed as well. "It was just a misunderstanding. You’re doing fine. But please, remember to speak in full sentences. You want to _impress_ Master Young, not run more laps, don’t you?"

Tala half-bowed, flustering. “Yes, sorry!”

Clearing his throat, Guan asked, "But while we are on the subject- if you do not mind my asking- do you feel mutually about him? As a friend, of course?"

“Mutually?” Tala asked, and Guan saw a flash of sharp canine teeth as she sneered her confusion.

“It means ‘the same,’” said Guan, feeling a bit nervous all of a sudden.

Tala rolled her eyes.

“Think," she snorted, "but he is -what is word, picky? Spoiled? How do you say Chase must _always_ have his way? Like this!”

Tala made a huffy face, and folded her arms, dramatically.

“Grr,” she said. “Not like this, Not like that, speak better, now!”

Guan bit back a grin.

“No, no, that is pretty much it, but choose one word. Try picky.”

She played with one of her braids, shyly.

"Think," Tala admitted, with a warm glow rising into her dark cheeks, "Must to thank his picky for all of this. Would be sleeping in the kitchens, if Chase had not picky me."

Guan smiled, choosing to correct her some other lesson. At least that was something.

"How do you and Chase make friends?" she asked. "Do you close?"

"We _are_ close," he corrected with a proud smile on his face, and a lick of red on his nose. "Chase and I are the best of friends. Though, I admit that we did not really get along, until after my father's death. He reached out a hand in comfort when I had no one else left in the world."

Tala looked away, and Guan studied the contemplative look on her face with a swell of happiness.

"You see, Tala," he continued, "Chase's personality may seem overbearing at first, but he does have a good heart. He means well, truly."

"No doubt," she said, quickly, "but sometimes feel that he says tricks to get his picky way."

Tala shut her mouth quickly, tensing. Obviously, she hadn't meant to say that aloud.

He was afraid if this.

"I've often felt the same," Guan admitted.

“Often?”

“A lot.”

They fell into a pause, after that. Guan sighed and scratched the stubble above his braid, when Tala looked up at him with sudden surprise.

“ _Jo_ , you- what is word,” said Tala, “you trust? No trust Chase?”

“I _didn’t,_ ” said Guan, “but that was because we had only just met, and I did not know him well enough.”

He stressed this with a pointed look, hoping that she understood. Tala just looked even more confused, so Guan tried again.

"Chase is the type of person to use his charisma-”

Tala opened her mouth, most likely to ask what that meant.

“-His _friendliness_ ,” said Guan, beating Tala to her question, “to charm people. But, I don’t think he wants to hurt anyone, with it. Chase has always just been aware of the effect he has on others, and has learned to adapt to it, in his own way."

“Adat…” said Tala.

“No, _adapt_ ,” said Guan. “It means to change yourself, to fit the place you’re in.”

“Adadat.”

“That’s not even close,” said Guan, fighting his frustration. “ _Listen_ to me: Adapt.”

With a blank look, she said, “Ahd-hap.”

Guan leaned into his hands, covering his face. He groaned, loudly.

A tiny hand reached over and pat his, as Tala said, “We must together ahd-hap, Guan.”

Guan’s groan grew louder.

Tala leaned back into her seat, and Guan could hear the faint crunch of her biting into a biscuit.

“Let’s change the subject,” he suggested, popping back up, brightly.

Tala straightened her back. “Where?”

Guan smiled, and leaned in.

“Have you ever heard of the legend of the first Xiaolin Dragons?” he asked.

Tala scooted in, wriggling with excitement, her eyes bright and round.

“Ooh!” she cried. “Please, please!”

Guan smirked at the funny little girl’s wide smile.

The candle between them flickered with Guan’s breath, as he began. “Long, long ago in this very spot, where the Xiaolin Temple now resides, was once a nest of monsters. Otherworldly beings, larger than mountains and voices like thunder, gathered here and claimed themselves the kings of the world. Darkness spread, and the sun itself turned to black ash. The sky was red with the blood of the innocent, and evil was rampant everywhere.”

“Monsters came, how?” asked Tala.

Guan shook his head.

“No one knows,” he admitted. “Some say they created this world themselves, some say they came from another place, long before humans could remember, but what the legend tells us is that these monsters were each an animal with unique gifts and magical powers to hunt down, devour, and enslave the human race. The ancient people called them Celestials, as their earthly bodies resembled the formations of stars seen in every part of the world.”

“Celestials,” Tala echoed, her eyes shining.

She bit into one of the thin biscuits on the plate beside her, watching Guan with a mesmerized expression.

Guan nodded, smiling.

“They took the forms of the constellations: The Phoenix, the Draco, the Hamal of Aries,” he said, “the Hydra, Lupus, Felis, the Ursas Major and Minor, Gallus, Noctua, Scorpius, Anser, Aquila, and many other stars.”

“Ah!” Tala perked up.

Guan smiled, leaning in a bit. Her small voice was a little hard to hear.

“Know them!” said Tala. He could practically see stars in her light-colored eyes. “Mama’s words...Call them.. _Taigohjun_!”

“People worshiped these monsters and their magic,” said Guan, nodding. His smile spread wide, her enthusiasm contagious. “Some even sold their souls to gain a piece of their powers. It is rumored that this is how the witch race was born.”

Tala flinched, and choked on her biscuit, coughing. Guan poured a bit of tea for her, and Tala nearly snatched it out of his hands, to drain the cup.

“Are you alright?” he asked.

Tala jumped at his question. “What?”

“Did the tea not burn you?”

Tala’s face went red.

“Oh, yes-no,” she said. “Cold.”

Guan raised his eyebrows, realizing that fresh steam rose from the rim of his own teacup. Tala held up her hands and waved them.

“Good-fine! Really!” she insisted. “Tell more, please!”

“At any rate, the world was in devastation,” Guan continued.

“Dev-”

“Ruined,” said Guan. “No crops could grow, unless these beings wanted them to. Livestock mutated into ravenous creatures, and many water supplies were poisoned by dead fish and other things, forcing those who tried to live away from the Celestials to go back to their masters. Brother fought brother- and even his own _grandmother_ \- in order to survive this horrible world. The world was like this for thousands of years. No one could rise up against the Celestials. Until one day, a messenger of light came down from the high mountains. He claimed to be able to see into the hearts of other men, and chose four worthy people to wield the natural elements of fire, earth, water, and wind to fight back, against the Celestials. With their newfound magic and the Scroll of Ages, given to them by the messenger of light, the four warriors-”

“Wait!” Tala cried out. “Messenger of _light_?”

“Oh, you don’t understand,” Guan realized. “Should I slow down? Allow me to explain-”

“No, no, understand fine,” said Tala, “Just not thinking why white monk came down from mountains, after all life of evil monster kings, to give a special scroll to people, to make magic golden boys.”

“What?” Guan asked. He wasn’t quite sure where to start translating _that_ , but settled for, “Golden boys?”

Tala just leaned into her hands, playing with the crumbs that fell from her biscuit.

“It is a legend, Tala,” said Guan. “Not all of it is true, but parts of it _are_ rooted in history. Personally, I rather enjoy these stories. Now do you want me to continue, or are you going to sit there and pout?”

Tala folded her arms, grumbling, “Stupid man of light, stupid scroll, stupid-”

Guan shook his head, rolling his eyes. Her accent was so thick, and her voice was so grumbly, that he hardly understood what Tala was saying, but he knew her well enough to get the idea.

“What is it about the messenger of light that has you upset?” asked Guan with a smirk. “Certainly you aren't _still_ doubting the Scroll of Ages for choosing you to be the next Wind Dragon?”

Tala grumbled and sank into her seat, snatching up her biscuit and biting into it.

Guan sighed, rubbing his temples.

“Tala, we have been over this,” he said. “Your name was in the Scroll beside Chase’s, Dashi’s _and_ mine. You _are_ meant to become a Xiaolin Dragon. That doesn't mean your road to becoming one will be easy.”

Tala chewed on the biscuit, glaring at him.

“May I continue the story, now?”

Tala nodded.

“The Warrior of Light, and the four Chosen Ones-”

“ _Shatuy_!”

“The Warrior of Light, and the four Chosen Ones, formed an order known as the Xiaolin Dragons,” said Guan, taking a sip of tea. “They took back the land little-by-little from the mutated creatures that scoured it, despite more and more rising up to obey the Celestials’ commands of hunting down and destroying the Xiaolin. Their small victories encouraged the people, and those who followed behind the Dragons grew more in number with each passing year. The Celestials decided to form their own group of warriors to counteract them, and created the order known as the Heylin.”

The second he said it, Tala sat up again, dropping the half-eaten biscuit in her mouth back onto her plate. “The monsters made Heylin?!”

Guan nodded. “Yes, they did. And the Heylin warriors had their own brand of dark magic to counteract the light magic of the Xiaolin Dragons. Xiaolin Dragon fought against Heylin Dragon, and Xiaolin Master against Heylin Master, until there was a stalemate, striking up a new order to nature. You see, even with the Heylin warriors on their side, the darkness of the Celestials was not enough to snuff out the light. The Celestials fought so hard to destroy the balance of nature, so desperate to keep their own grip on this world for themselves, that in doing so they actually formed a new balance between good and evil. Creating the Heylin was the Celestials’ undoing, in the end. The destructive chaos that they had tried to latch onto leveled out into perfect balance, with the Heylin’s rise against the Xiaolin.”

Tala’s temper seemed to have faded. She folded her arms and stared at her biscuit, listening to Guan with poorly masked awe.

“The Warrior of Light, and the Four Elemental Dragons, were able to create and use mystical items to entrap the Celestials, and many of their Heylin followers,” said Guan, “pacifying their magic, and destroying the Celestial monsters, once and for all...Or so the legend claims. I’ve never seen any of these items myself, and most records of the Celestials are too old and faded to read. The Xiaolin Dragons pass these stories down to each other by mouth, and have been for the past few centuries, now. I’m not sure if everything I told you is exactly correct.”

Tala looked down at her lap, fiddling with the hem of her robe.

“But evil still lives,” she murmured. “There is _dark_ magic… is there good magic, also?”

“There will always be evil where there is good,” said Guan, thoughtfully. “That is the point of balance. But there is always good where there is evil, too. Perhaps there could be _some_ light magic still lurking outside the Xiaolin Temple’s walls, but the only true record of it is with the Xiaolin Dragons, and _that_ magic has been missing for over three hundred years. We only have our Scroll of Ages to prove that we once had light magic.”

“Tell more of _Taigohjun_?” she asked shyly, peeking up at him.

“I only know of one other story about the Taigou.. Taigoe..?” said Guan.

“ _Taigohjun_ ,” said Tala.

“Bless you,” he said, smiling a little.

Tala didn’t seem to get the joke, staring at him blankly.

Guan awkwardly cleared his throat, and said, “Taigo.. _ahem_ , Celestials.”

Tala took another bite of her biscuit, looking disappointed.

“The Xiaolin Dragons had traveled for several days, running from the thousand-strong Heylin battalion at their backs,” said Guan, “They lured the battalion to a limestone pass, hiding further and further down its narrow paths, hoping to thin out the troops. When even that proved to not be enough, and it seemed like all hope was lost for them, their leader- The Shoku Warrior- stayed behind. He used a large portion of his magic to bring the canyon down all around the battalion, and since the path they had followed the Xiaolin Warriors down was too narrow to retreat from, every single one of the Heylin soldiers perished.”

Tala was wide-eyed as she listened, leaning in with a slight smile on her awe-struck face.

Guan smiled, too, continuing, “Even with the victory, a price was paid by the Xiaolin, that day. The Shoku Warrior had also been crushed. He sacrificed himself for the good of the many, protecting his teammates and soldiers with his own life. The rock formations his sacrifice created were named a landmark, and have been renamed Xing Luo Pass, after him… though his final resting site is no longer a ‘pass,’ I think.. I never saw-”

Guan cleared his throat, his face growing hot at the confused look on Tala’s face. She leaned back into her chair silently, folding her arms with the oddest expression. Guan wondered if she was actually taking the story in, or just trying to process it in the foreign language. His stomach flipped a little, at the thought of confusing his pupil and letting her down.

“A-anyway,” he said, taking a calming sip from his tea. “That story is often told to the first-year monks, to put into perspective what it means to be a Xiaolin Dragon. I’m sure Master Young could tell it to you much more clearly, than I can. It is supposed to teach us that you must be willing to lose even your own life, in order to protect mankind from the evils of the Heylin side. The Xiaolin pride ourselves on serving the greater good, even if it is not entirely for our own benifit, in the end. You must prepare yourself to sacrifice something important, if it is asked of you for the better of all people.”

Tala rested her hands on the table, sighing sadly.

“Papa,” she whispered.

Guan took Tala’s hand. She jerked her head up at him, with a small gasp.

“Even though the Celestials are gone, evil can never be truly wiped out,” said Guan. “Seeds of their destruction still linger in the ground where darkness still waits, hoping for the chance to regain the power that their masters had lost. That is _why_ the Scroll of Ages still chooses those it finds worthy of becoming Xiaolin Warriors, to protect the cosmic balance of the universe, and to keep that darkness from spreading, once again. That is why it chose _you_. You might not see it now, but-”

“No!” Tala cried, yanking her hand back. “If _sooo_ important to have Xiaolin Warriors keep balance, why to have only three warriors until I came?”

“That’s not a story that I can tell, but what I _do_ know is that with you, the Elements’ balance has been restored,” said Guan. “It is our destiny to-”

Tala threw her arms up.

“But why _me_ ?!” she yelled. “Not _like_ you, Dashi, or Chase! Just stupid little girl who cannot speak well!”

“Who taught you _stupid_?!” asked Guan, shocked. Perhaps he would have to hit Chase, after all.

“Scroll of Ages must want someone, what is word, _better_ to help,” said Tala, “not me!”

“The Scroll of Ages decides who is worthy, Tala, _not_ you,” snapped Guan. “ I trust it, and I trust Grand Master Wei and Master Young to train us into becoming the best warriors that we can be. _You_ need to learn patience.”

“Not truth!” Tala huffed. “Cannot be!”

“It _is_ the truth, Tala,” said Guan. “You should just trust the masters to help you. I’m sure, in time, you will catch up to the rest of us.”

“Not want patience,” Tala growled, shaking her head. “Not want to _be_ a Dragon! Not want to sacrifice, I want Papa!”

She slammed the table, rattling it hard enough for Guan to have to hold on to the edge, to keep the table from tipping.

“Is _that_ what this is about?” asked Guan, “Tala, I’m sure your father would be welcome, if you asked the Grand Master about it.”

She shook her head. The tears Tala was holding back streaked down her cheeks.

“Must not be a Dragon,” she whimpered. “Will not be let to leave! I want to go home! Want my Papa!”

“Oh,” he said,  reaching out to touch her hand. “You’re not alone. Your fellow teammates and I will be beside you. Not too long ago, I _too_ wanted-”

Tala slapped his hand away and ran out of the room, crying, leaving Guan stunned to silence.

  



	10. Chapter 10

Ten_ Blossoms In the Snow 

The cold air stung on Tala’s hot fingers, as she stormed through the winding paths leading away from Guan’s suite. Her breath steamed, reaching for the winding branches of the bare trees, as Tala cursed under her breath. “Stupid Scroll! Stupid Celestials! Stupid magic! Stupid, stupid!”

“ _ Throwing tantrums, Tala _ ?”

Tala stopped in her tracks at the familiar voice and its use of Wupoyisho. Her throat tightened. She looked out of the corner of her eye to the trees at her side, and could see shimmering red against the black tree bark.

“Not real,” Tala hissed. “Not real!”

“ _ I thought you were raised better than that, _ ” said the vision, whispering just a breath away. “ _ You disappoint your mother _ .”

“Leave me alone!” Tala cried, holding her ears.

“ _ Why are you speaking with those ugly words? _ ” the voice asked. “ _ Are you trying to be like them? Have you forgotten about what they did to your sister, to your Mama? _ ”

“You are dead,” Tala snapped, squeezing her eyes and fists shut. “Go away!”

“ _ No, Tala _ ,” said the ghost. Tala could swear the thing was right behind her, its heat rising up her back. “ _ But  _ _ you _ _ will be, if you don’t come with me _ .”

Tala shook her head.

“Go away,” she whispered. “Go away!”

“ _ Tala- _ ”

She could sense a hand hover above her shoulder, and spun to swat at it. The green eyed spirit’s face was one of shock, as she disappeared in a whirlwind of smoke, blown away by Tala’s slap. 

Tala watched the white smoke mingle with her breath and disappear into the grey clouds. Tala sighed and pushed her bangs back.

“ _ I’m feverish _ ,” she explained, to herself. “ _ I’m just unwell _ .”

“Aren’t you cold, out here?”

Tala spun with a sharp gasp, her fists raised. Dashi stood a few feet from her, hugging himself against the wind. 

“We aren’t expected at the Training Sands, today,” he said. “What are you doing out here?”

“The Sands?” 

Tala looked around. He was right. They were a few feet away from the sparring circle. Tala shivered, realizing that the path just beyond the Sands’ sparring circle lead to the Xiaolin Temple’s main gate. 

When she looked back at Dashi, he smiled at her from under the rim of the bamboo conical hat he was wearing.

“You wanna see something cool?” he asked.

“Okay,” said Tala, keeping an eye on the treeline as she made her way back to where he stood.

Dashi placed a reassuring hand on her back, and lead Tala away from the Sands. Tala looked over her shoulder one more time, trying to find that flash of red hair, or the green eyes with the strange face tattoos, but she saw nothing except the branches grappling with each other in the wind. 

The two made their way in comfortable silence, taking a long, lonely-looking footpath through a bamboo thicket. The wind bit at Tala’s nose as she walked beside Dashi, looking behind them every so often as they passed one path, and then another. 

“Why not take one other?” Tala asked, pointing to the third path they left behind.

“Those are dead ends, so they won’t help us,” Dashi explained. “False paths, put in to prevent  invaders of long ago from trying to make their way to the center of the Jade Circle, where the Scroll of Ages is kept.”

Tala remembered the legend Guan had told her, imagining shadows of evil warriors trying to snatch the Scroll of Ages with sharp claws and glowing eyes. Tala looked up at Dashi, sneering at the idea. “Really?” 

Dashi kept his eyes ahead, but smiled.

“Yeah,” he said. “I hear there are still some skeletons back there, forever to spend an eternity trying desperately to claw their way out and get their hands on our ancient Xiaolin secrets.”

“Ha! No way!” Tala scoffed. 

“Well,” Dashi said, shrugging,  “not everybody can be as lucky to have their name in the Scroll like you and me, Chosen One. Curiosity kills the cat, right?”

“I do not see a cat,” said Tala. 

“Figure of speech, Chosen One,”  said Dashi, chuckling a little.

Tala growled, folding her arms into a pout. 

“Not even an Apprentice,” she clipped. “Do not call me that. There, yet?”

There was a short pause, and Tala blushed. She figured he was trying to understand what she said. Tala bit the inside of her cheek, frustrated. 

“Almost,” Dashi chirped, perking up.

“Where to are we going?”

Dashi lazily held his hands behind his head as he answered, “The stables.”

Tala burst into a smile. “Know someone! Work there!”

Dashi finally looked down at her, but only from the corner of his eye. “For real?”

Tala’s face went hot. 

“Well,” she admitted, “know his sister. Not know  _ him, _ yet.”

Dashi snorted, and ruffled her bangs. “Don’t get ahead of yourself there, kid.”

“Do not call me ‘kid,’ too!” she protested. “You would like, if I called you baldy?”

“Ouch,” Dashi deadpanned. “Never heard that one before. Got anything better, Smallfry?”

Tala grumbled, feeling hotter and hotter. “ _ Shatuy _ .”

“Come on, Melonhead, you can do better than that,” said Dashi.

“Beanpole!” Tala snapped. 

“Yawn, snore. Boring.”

“Dumb hat!” 

Dashi adjusted the bamboo hat with a shrug.

“I thought Guan was teaching you some useful words,” he said. “Guess I was wrong. No dice. Try again.”

“Dice?” asked Tala. “You mean _ rice, _ yes?”

“Okay, now you’re just doing that on purpose,” said Dashi.

Tala gasped angrily, saying, “Long Nose!”

Dashi placed his hand over his heart. “Wow, that  _ really _ burns.”

“How to say..Spider Fingers!”

Dashi scoffed. “That doesn’t even make sense!”

“Oh, stop your mouth!” Tala snapped.

“Come on, Rice Mouth,” Dashi goaded. “Your comebacks are soooo lame. Make me regret my words.”

“Big pain!” Tala said. “You.. you...Pumpkinseed Head!”

Dashi burst out into laughter. 

“Ohhh man, I really haven’t heard that one!” he cackled, clapping. “Bravo for surprising me, Chosen One.”

Tala bit her lip and hugged herself, watching her own feet, as Dashi still laughed beside her. Her cheeks were so hot that she hardly felt the cold anymore. 

“Hey,” said Dashi after catching his breath. “What’s wrong? That comeback was pretty impressive!”

“Not…” Tala cleared her throat, trying to get rid of the tightness in it. “I do not feel like going to  stables with you, anymore.”

Tala looked behind them. Maybe the ghost had moved on, and she could return to her own suite in peace. She wrung the hem of her robe, scanning the treeline out of the corner of her eye.

Dashi deflated. 

“Wow,” he said. “Bummer.”

“Think I will walk back home,” said Tala, pointing down the path. 

Dashi looked a little surprised. 

“Are you sure?” he asked. “The stables are just right around the corner.”

Tala nodded, her stomach churning. Everything inside her was buzzing with heat, making Tala feel dizzy, reminding her of the vision she had of Papa. The memory of his terrified face made Tala’s stomach twist fiercely, and her knees threatened to buckle. 

“Do you want me to walk back with you?” asked Dashi, reaching out his hand, as Tala inched backwards. “You’re not looking too good.”

Tala shook her head. “No, want to-” 

A whinny surprised Tala. She looked up to see a horse wandering in the courtyard just ahead of them. He still had a bridle around his muzzle, dragging behind him along the browning snow, and dirt like a dead snake. 

“Is that allowed to happen?” she asked, pointing as the horse bent his neck to chew on what was left of the yellow grass. 

“ _ No _ ,” said Dashi, suspicious. 

He left Tala, jogging over to the courtyard. 

Tala watched as Dashi tried to coax the horse to come to him, but it galloped away to graze on another patch of grass just beyond his reach. She fought back a snort, but she lost the battle with a grin.

‘Serves him right,’ she thought. 

The wind whistled in the branches above, and Tala could swear she heard the green-eyed ghost’s voice whisper her name on its coattails. Tala’s heart jumped into her throat. 

“Wait!” Tala cried, running toward the courtyard. “Change my mind! I will go, too!”

Tala caught up to Dashi, who was doubled over, trying to catch his breath.

“Stupid-” he wheezed “-horse!” 

Tala bent her head to try and look him in the eye. “Are you alright, Dashi?”

Dashi waved her off. 

“I’m--ugh, fine!” he insisted. “Just- let me-catch--my breath. Whew!”

“You come run with me and Chase,” Tala suggested, frankly. “Maybe, we can help you, what is word? Fast, but also strength.”

“Endurance,” Dashi snapped.

“Yes,” said Tala. “Run with us, make end-oor-ess.”

“ _ Endur _ \- Ahh, forget it!” Dashi snapped. “Let me see  _ you _ do better then, Curly.”

Tala balled her fists. 

“ _ Shatuy _ ,” she said, through gritted teeth. “Just want to help-”

Dashi straightened and dusted off his jacket. 

“Less ‘helping,’ more horse catching,” he clipped, “unless you wanna go find your super, amazing boyfriend to help us.”

“You are my boy-friend, too,” said Tala. “Guan is also boy-friend.”

“That’s not what that word means,” said Dashi. 

“ _ Yes _ ,” said Tala, annoyed that he’d think she wouldn’t know two such simple words. “You are boy-friend, like Chase and Guan. I have  _ much _ boy-friends!”

Dashi snorted.

“Don’t let Master Young hear you say that,” he said. “Boyfriend  _ actually _ means that you.. Well, you know.”

Tala folded her arms, slowly losing her confidence. “No..”

Dashi grew redder and redder the longer they stared each other down. With each passing second, Tala felt even more confused, and now  _ very _ worried at how pink Dashi’s face had gotten.

After a little while, Dashi finally said, “It means you kiss. You kiss a lot.”

Tala cried out with disgust, covering her ears, and blushing as hard as Dashi did. “No!!” 

She stomped her foot, saying, “Chase is  _ not _ my boyfriend! He is just-”

Actually, Tala wasn’t quite sure _ what  _ he was, other than her Master-appointed guardian. It wasn’t exactly like she could tell Dashi that, without involving him further in her secrets. Tala swallowed her embarrassment with a huff, and veered toward the horse.

“Your hat is  _ stupid! _ ” she called, over her shoulder.

“Who taught you that word?!” Dashi cried.

Why was everybody asking her that? Tala rolled her eyes and waved him off, not answering.

The horse settled himself beneath a dead tree, obliviously picking at a patch of dandelions that was too stubborn for the frost to kill. The twisted limbs of the black oak waved at Tala lazily, as if to cheer her on. 

Tala came a bit closer, then stopped when the horse paused. It sneezed, and she relaxed with a sigh, before inching a bit closer. Her hands shook with adrenaline, ready to grab the strap of the bridle. It bobbed along the grass and dust, while the horse fed. 

Tala froze, nerves getting to her, when she realized just how big the horse really was. Watching Dashi chase it from far away, the horse seemed like a toy, but now only a few steps away from the beast herself, Tala felt as though she were standing next to one of the Celestial monsters Guan had told her about, remembering the “big as mountains and voices like thunder” bit he had mentioned. 

The horse lifted his head and looked at Tala, curiously turning his ears toward her with a puff of hot breath, fogging the air. The light hit his eyes at just the right angle for Tala to see its horizontal pupils, and when it blinked at her, Tala tensed with disgust. 

The horse puffed again, and nudged closer, lips pulling back to nip at the patch of grass Tala was standing on. She took a step back, hands raised. 

‘Maybe, I should have just let Dashi handle this,’ she thought, swallowing down a healthy dose of fear. 

“It’s not too late to call your boyfriend,” Dashi called, when she hesitated. 

Tala flinched with a flash of anger. She whirled on him, shouting, “ _ Tinye _ -” she remembered he couldn't speak Wupoyisho, and corrected herself. “Stop SAYING that!”

A loud crack split the air, and a piece of the oak’s branch toppled down. The horse whinnied behind Tala, and lunged forward. Tala just barely dodged his hooves, her hands covering her head when the stallion leapt over her. 

Tala heard Dashi cry out, and looked up to see him barely jump out of the way, himself. She sighed with relief when he stood up and came running towards her. Dashi didn’t seem hurt, the only thing touched being his conical hat, which had fallen off of Dashi’s head during his narrow escape. It bobbed at at the back of his neck, in his haste to reach her.

The horse’s bridle had caught on the large branch and dragged the horse down, as it frantically tried to get away. He twisted it in knots after running in circles, tiring himself out into a slow trot, huffing as he wandered back and forth, trying to yank free. 

Dashi helped Tala up by her elbow, asking, “Are you okay?” 

Tala rubbed the tender spot on the back of her head, not realizing she had hit it until standing. 

“Y-yes,” she stammered, teeth chattering. 

“Good,” Dashi snapped, “because I’m going to kill you! What were you thinking?!”

“Me?!” Tala cried, ripping her arm out of his hand. “You told me to!”

Dashi pointed a finger in her face. 

“ _ You _ -”

He straightened himself, and folded his arms.

“You know what, just don’t listen to what I say, anymore,” Dashi snapped, “I’m a terrible influence.”

Tala watched the horse yank on his bridle, whinnying and huffing angrily. 

“Well,” she said, “we got the horse.”

Dashi smirked.

“You know what, ki-Tala,” he said, ruffling her hair, “you’re okay. You did good. Pretty brave of you, too.”

Tala smiled at the praise, her heart humming. She rubbed at her misting eyes, chin trembling.

“Woah, tears!” Dashi exclaimed, backing up a little. “Did I say something wrong?”

Tala shook her head, giggling. More tears streamed down her cheeks.

“Sorry!” she laughed and cried, “Just-”

“Aww,” he said. “You got scared, huh?”

Tala nodded her head. Dashi pat her hair, keeping his distance.

“Um- there, there,” he said. “Buck up, alright? You’re a Xiaolin warrior, now. You did great for your first time horse wrangling!”

Tala rubbed her face on her sleeve.

“Yes,” said said. “You are right.”

Dashi looked up at the broken tree, and Tala followed his thoughtful gaze. 

“It’s just a shame that branch finally gave way, though,” he said. “You almost had him.”

The edges where the branch broke were jagged and splintered, the wood rotting from the inside. Even though the wind could have done it, Tala’s gut twisted with guilt. The timing was just a little too perfect. Frustration pinched between her eyebrows.

‘First Chase was thrown into a tree, then Jia got cut by a sword,’ she thought, bitterly, ‘now Dashi could have gotten killed! What am I going to do?!’ 

The horse’s angry cry snapped Tala out of it, with a fresh shot of adrenaline. Both she and Dashi turned to see the horse try once again, with a new spurt of energy, to drag the branch with him. He was having trouble trying to pry it from the between the outer wall and another tree, where it was now lodged. 

Dashi slouched with a groan. 

“ _ Okay, _ ” he said. “Guess we should go get him.”

“Hey!”

Tala and Dashi looked over to a boy running toward them from the stables’ side of the courtyard. He waved his long, lanky arms to get their attention.

“Hey, stop!” he cried. 

“Oh, great,” Dashi clipped, “Here comes the Horse Guy. Try to keep up, Tala.”

“What?” 

The young man jogged over, brown eyes bright with energy, and cheeks rosy from running in the cold. His hair was in disarray, with bits of hay poking out for it here and there. His openly hurt face and accusations were aimed at Dashi, speaking too loud and a tad too fast for Tala to just barely understand. 

“Did you play another trick?!” he cried, “Where’s Huhu?!”

Tala shrunk into her shoulders, wincing. Oh, that’s what he meant. 

“Haven’t seen him,” clipped Dashi.

The horse, who Tala guessed was ‘Huhu,’ whinnied behind them. 

The boy’s eyes narrowed.

“That sure looks like Huhu,” he snapped. 

His eyes widened, and he gasped angrily when he got a closer look over Dashi’s shoulder.

“You tied him up?!” the boy cried, pushing past Dashi. “You can tease me all you like, but don’t tease my horses!”

“I don’t tease you,” said Dashi. “It’s playful banter.”

“Another thing!” the boy snapped, stopping half way between Huhu and Dashi. “Stop stealing my hat! I need it to keep the sun out of my eyes as I work!”

He went over to Huhu as Dashi grumbled, “Not stealing, borrowing.”

Tala looked at Dashi, and pointed at the hat hanging at his back. “You stole?”

“ _ Borrowed, _ ” Dashi corrected, pulling the hat’s cord around his neck to readjust it back onto his head. 

“I like this hat,” he said. “It’s good for taking naps. Also keeps people from recognizing you when you sneak out for a few hours.”

Tala’s mouth hung open. “You _ leave _ the Temple?”

Dashi winked at her.

“Only when I don’t feel like doing chores,” he admitted, with a smile. 

Tala jumped out of the way when she noticed the horse coming towards them, and hid behind Dashi just enough to not seem rude to the horse’s handler. The horse bobbed his head, as Tala watched him with narrowed eyes. 

“ _ And _ when you don’t feel like studying,” said the boy, winding Huhu’s bridle around his wrist and palm, “ _ and  _ when you don’t feel like trai-”

Dashi pulled the boy close, nearly holding him in a headlock, and slapped a hand over his mouth.

“Jun, buddy, there’s some things you should never mention to my fellow Xiaolin Warriors,” he said, with a nervous chuckle. Then with his eyes narrowed, he added, “ _ Ever. _ ”

Tala gave a small gasp, realizing: “Jun?”

Jun pushed Dashi off, red in the face. Surprise darkened his cheeks further, when his as Tala’s eyes met.

“Tala?!” he nearly hollered, loudly enough to cause Tala to flinch.

“I-I mean, Honored Trainee- I- You're very, I mean-” Jun squawked, rushing to brush the hay out of his hair, stammering more words under his breath too fast for Tala to catch, and bowed clumsily. “It’s so good to see you!”

“You know me?” Tala asked, exchanging glances with Dashi, who shrugged.

Jun lifted his head, smiling a goofy grin. 

“Of course I do!” he said, and began counting on his fingers, saying, “You’re Tala from the village beyond the river. You’re an orphan, your birthday passed in March, you love sweet buns the most, and you’re not very fond of-”

“Ah!” Tala squeaked, clasping her hands together. “Yes! Happy to meet you!”

Dashi looked down at Tala suspiciously from the rim of Jun’s hat, and Tala laughed, nervously.

Jun’s smile grew even wider, and Tala noticed his head bobbing subtly, like Huhu’s. Come to think of it, his long face and broad nose reminded her of a horse.

She bowed to him. “Happiest to have the honor to meet you, Mr. Jun. You are Jia’s brother, right?”

She felt Dashi’s eyes on her, and saw him smirk out of the corner of her eye. She blushed a little, proud for finally saying something correctly.

“Yes!” Jun said, andrushed forward and grabbed Tala’s hands. “She’s my little sister! I was hoping to meet you, and thank you for being Jia’s friend! She was so lonely in the kitchens by herself- Oh! But, please just call me Jun. I’m nothing special. We’re almost like family, anyway.”

Tala’s face twisted with a grimace. “ _ Fami _ -”

“I don’t know,” Dashi joked, cutting her off. “It takes a special kind of person to shovel horse poop without complaining.”

“I just love horses,” said Jun, swaying on his feet. 

Every single one of his teeth showed, as he watched Tala with an intimidating intensity. Tala did her best not to insult him by looking uncomfortable, but her stiff shoulders refused to relax. She looked down at her feet, fidgeting with the hem of her robe. 

Jun kneeled down, balancing on the balls of his feet. He hunched over, bending his neck to look her in the eye. 

“Jia said you were cute,” he said, cheerfully. “You look like a bunny, and you’re so short! You could be a doll!”

Tala blinked, not sure if she understood correctly. He was just speaking so  _ fast _ .

She mumbled a very quiet, “Thank you.”

“Wow!” Jun cried, slapping his hands over his cheeks, joyfully. “So cute! Jia said you were polite! I’m so glad I’m finally meeting you, little sister!”

“Little..” Tala backed away an inch, looking from Jun to Dashi, but Jun wide smile was undeterred. He hadn’t seemed to notice how she was feeling at all, or perhaps he didn’t care. 

Dashi looked a little nervous, himself, his jaw physically tight as he and Tala met eyes for that brief moment. 

Huhu huffed, shaking his mane and stamping the ground with a hoof. Jun stood, and stroked the horse’s nose.

“I didn’t forget about you,” he assured the stallion with a baby-ish coo. He kissed Huhu’s nose. “Let’s go home, now!”

Tala and Dashi watched as Jun lead Huhu toward the stables. 

“That-” Tala began, but Dashi jogged after them, leaving her standing alone. 

Dashi tapped Jun on his shoulder. Jun looked a little confused, even startled, until Dashi took the hat off of his head, and pat it down onto Jun’s. They both laughed, before waving each other off. Jun even gave Tala a sweet smile, waving sheepishly. She returned the gesture happily, sighing with relief. 

Dashi jogged back over to Tala. 

“He’s a good guy, really,” Dashi explained, upon his return. “A little bit of an airhead sometimes, but relatively harmless.”

Tala bit her tongue to keep from saying her thoughts on ‘harmless.’ She probably would make it worse, with her simple words, anyway. 

“You gave the hat back,” said Tala instead, the question flattening as she watched Jun put Huhu back into his stable. 

“Sure!” Dashi chirped, taking the lead back down the path. “Like I said, I borrowed it… Without asking.”

“Uh huh,” Tala said, nodding. “To hide from class.”

“Just for lessons I’ve already mastered,” Dashi protested, lightly. “Besides, hanging out in town is way more fun than balancing on one foot for four hours. Maybe I’ll take you along, sometime.”

He smiled down at her as they walked. Tala blushed, and tripped. She skipped a step or two to catch back up with Dashi’s much longer stride. 

Tala tucked some stray hairs behind her ear. 

“Not know,” she said.

“Yeah!” said Dashi, eyes up to the sky with a thoughtful grin on his face. “I’m sure Jun will let you borrow one of the mares. We could race them on the hill, just before the east village.”

“Mares?” Tala’s throat tightened at the thought. 

“Lady horses,” Dashi explained.

“Know that, already!” Tala snapped, face growing red.

“Don’t tell me you can’t ride,” said Dashi, pouting his lips in mocking disappointment.  

Tala shook her head. “

N-no! Not want to,” she stammered.

“Are you afraid of horses?”

Tala grumbled, glaring down at her feet, giving Dashi his answer. 

“Seriously?” Dashi laughed. “You're afraid of  _ horses _ ?!”

“They are big, big!” Tala cried, tossing her hands into the air. “Like  _ monsters _ : with sleeping eyes, and pointy ears, skinny legs, and long faces! And they  _ smell! _ Blegh!”

“Sleeping eyes?” Dashi asked.

“This!” Tala snapped, holding her palm flat at her eye-level. “Like sleeping!”

“Ohh,” said Dashi. “The word you want is horizontal, Tala.” 

Tala nodded. “Ho-”

“ _ Don’t _ try to say it,” said Dashi, quickly. “You’ll give us both headaches. So..are you  _ really _ afraid of horses?”

Tala nodded, grumbling.

“Ah, man! Why didn’t you tell me?” he asked, slapping his forehead. “Now I feel bad for taking you to the stables.”

“Yes, well-” Tala swallowed the lump of embarrassment.  She hugged herself, and walked a bit faster. 

“Thought you not want to play with me,” she said, “and not want to be alone, so-”

Dashi’s face fell, his eyes softening. “You what?”

“I-I mean!” Tala laughed nervously. “ _ No _ , Dashi- uh, was bored! Yes...bored.”

Dashi smiled, but he didn’t look convinced.

“That is only thing!” Tala insisted.

“Okay, Chosen One,” Dashi huffed. “Whatever you say.”

Tala bit the inside of her cheek, a million thoughts gnawing at her belly. She took a breath, and said,  “Dashi, can I ask you?” 

“Sure, what’s up?”

“Why do you make fun of me?”

Dashi tripped on his next step.

“What?” He looked a little sick as he asked, “Make fun of you? I don’t-”

“Call me names, always,” Tala explained, flatly, “and you call Chase my boyfriend.”

“Oh. Ohhh,” Dashi groaned. “No, Tala- I wasn’t making fun of you, I was  _ messing _ with you. That’s what friends do.”

“Messing with me?” Tala balked, eyes wide. She stopped in her tracks. 

“It means to joke around, like friends,” said Dashi.

“You are mean, because we are  _ friends _ ?”

“I wasn’t trying to be mean, Tala,” said Dashi, pink all the way up to his ears. “I was just pulling your leg.”

“You not touch me!” Tala said, scrunching her nose.

“It’s a figure of speech!” Dashi groaned, rubbing his hands over his bald head, and to the back of his neck. His breath came out in a steady stream of vapor. 

He started walking again, and Tala rushed to keep up with him, stiff and cold, but determined.

“Look,” Dashi said. “I wasn’t saying anything to hurt you. I thought we were having fun, going back and forth like that. I’m sorry. I won’t do it again.”

“O-oh,” Tala said, blinking. “That was fun for you?”

Dashi shrugged. “Sure, but if you don’t like it, I won’t do it with you, anymore.”

Tala pressed her hands into her cheeks, eyes wide.

‘Great, he must hate me, now,’ she thought. ‘He was playing! Stupid, Tala! Probably doesn’t even want to be friends, anymore!’

Tears pricked at her eyes, like needles. She was happy for the setting sun, the bamboo grove path becoming only just dark enough to be able to see ahead of them in the twilight.

“Do you  _ like _ calling those names?” she asked, fighting the lump in her throat. 

Dashi snorted. “Pumpkinseed Head  _ was _ pretty funny.”

Tala smiled a little, a hitch making her chin quiver. She wiped the tears away quickly, hoping he didn’t notice. She snuck a look at Dashi, but he wasn’t looking at her. He was looking down, hugging himself, but she couldn’t tell if from embarrassment or the cold. His jaw was clenched, either way. 

“Not mind Short Stuff,” she suggested. “Not so mean, if truth.”

Dashi’s eyes flicked to her for a second, and he nodded.

“I can work with that,” he said. 

Tala shoved him with her elbow, saying, “Bu-but  _ only _ if I call you Pumpkinseed Head, too!”

Dashi softly elbowed her back, with a chuckle. “Yeah, sure. Whatever, Short Stuff.”


	11. Chapter 11

Eleven_ Room For Improvement 

Tala fell onto her backside, with a thud. She coughed when the dust and sand flew into her face, and looked up at the obstacle course through squinting, burning eyes.

“Oh for heaven’s sake, Trainee!” Master Young cried. “You didn’t even make it past the rope bridge! Get up, and run it again!”

Tala pounded the ground with her fist. That stupid bridge tripped her up every time! She was sure she had it, but a misstep caused the rope to wrap around Tala’s ankle. Tossed to the ground for the fifth time that morning, Tala felt very close to just burning the whole thing down and walking away.

Tala pushed herself up and dusted off. Grumbling under her breath, Tala walked back to the beginning of the course.

“Hurry up,” snapped Master Young. “We need to move on,  _ unless _ you’d like to stick around to run it with the beginner’s class. Perhaps you should.”

“ _ Perhaps you shoooulld _ ,” Tala mocked him, under her breath.

“What did I tell you about speaking in that language?!” Master Young snapped. 

Tala nearly jumped out of her skin. Oops! She really hadn’t said it as quietly as she’d thought. 

“Would you rather run laps?” her master threatened, “I can have you run laps! Perhaps then, you’ll finally start speaking words that we can  _ all _ understand.” 

“Forgive me, Master!” Tala called to him, jumping up the course’s latter the fastest she ever had before. 

“That’s  _ right, _ ” Master Young  growled, folding his arms. “Now finish the set, so that we can wrap up for the day.”

Tala grumbled, swinging her leg over the bar. She reached up for the suspende handles, and swung. Tala missed the next bar with a yelp, falling onto the wooden planks below with a  _ smack! _

“Oh,  _ come on! _ ” cried Master Young, slapping a hand over his eyes. “Again, Trainee. This time, use your momentum. Don’t rely on your reach.”

Tala rubbed her sore nose, and got to her feet with a groan. 

“Maybe you  _ should _ just have her run laps,” said Chase. 

Tala bit back an insult, not wanting to give Master Young any reason to assign more cardio. 

“Can do it!” Tala snapped, climbing up the latter again.

“What was that, Trainee?” asked Master Young, sternly.

“ _ I  _ can do it,” Tala ground out through her teeth, while hopping over the bar. 

She swung again, this time catching the bar. Tala kept up her momentum, using her legs to throw herself forward, and swung from handle to handle, until she landed at the platform of the rope bridge. 

Tala pumped her fists to the air, in victory. Chase and Guan clapped, while Master Young just watched on in judgemental silence. 

“Now, just do _ that _ with the rest of the course,” Chase encouraged.

“We believe in you,” Guan added, with a smile. 

Tala smiled a little, and looked to the rope bridge. 

‘My enemy,’ she thought, narrowing her eyes.

Guan and Chase both cheered her on, as Tala stared down the bridge. She bolted, running as fast as she could, across. The ropes wobbled, whipping back and forth like two angry snakes. Tala misstepped and fell, but this time caught herself. Tala’s shoulder felt like it was on fire, and her palm certainly was, when she clung to the rope to keep from falling all the way down. She hung for a moment, hissing from the pain. 

“ _ Oooh _ !” Chase and Guan both winced with her.

Tala growled through her pain, and swung her other arm up. She tasted orange in her mouth and gasped, her grip slipping from the surprise.

‘Oh no,’ she thought, ‘not now!’ 

Tala’s hands tingled from magic instead of pain, and it was a race against herself to get back onto the rope bridge before her magic could do something. Worst part was, Tala wasn’t sure what it wanted to do. 

Tala lost her grip, and stumbled out of the tangling ropes. Except, she didn’t fall. It seemed like the world had slowed down, at least by a little bit. Just like with the dove that flew at her face the night Tala met Dashi, the boys and Master Young weren’t moving. The writhing ropes had also slowed down, and Tala was able to reach out and pull herself up with them. The second that she did, the world sped back up. 

Tala crawled onto the next platform, wheezing to catch her breath. The taste of orange was gone, and her hands only stung with rawness, now. 

No one had noticed what Tala’s magic did. Chase and Guan hugged, cheering when she sat up on the platform. Master Young even looked a little impressed, smirking only ever-so-slightly. 

“Alright, Trainee,” he said, “you can come down from there, now. We’ll finish up with stretches, then the three of you may retire for the afternoon.”

Tala jumped from the platform, and walked over to join them. Chase pulled Tala into a headlock, and lightly tousled her bangs, despite her tiny cry in protest.

“You did good, Brave Girl,” he said. “Pretty nice save!”

“Yes,” Guan agreed. “You are improving rather quickly.”

“I wouldn't say  _ too _ quickly,” said Master Young. “Don’t let it get to your head, Trainee. There is much for you to still learn. That was only the  _ beginner’s _ obstacle course. Wait until you’ve reached the Apprentice rank, before celebrating.”

“Way to be a mood killer, Dad,” drawled Chase, as Master Young turned his back on them. “Can’t you just tell Tala she did well?”

“Do your stretches, Chase,” Master Young instructed, before walking off.

Chase rolled his eyes. 

“Come on, Tal,” he said, pressing a hand to her back. “I’ll help you touch your toes.”

“Did you see it?” she asked, her stomach twisting with anxiety. 

“Yeah,” said Chase, smiling. “I have no idea how you were able to wrap your hand around the rope like that, but it was pretty impressive.”

Tala’s stomach dropped. “So… you _not_ see how?” 

“You moved pretty fast, Tal,” said Chase. “Just take the compliment, alright?”

Tala bit the inside of her cheek, her stomach churning.

‘How did I do that?’ she thought, ‘and what’s my magic going to do, when it happens again?’

* * *

“-And then, Dashi ran to horse, but he could not catch it. Then, I said to run with me and Chase to help, but he was mad! Told me to get horse myself, but then old branch _ broke _ ! So-  _ Ui _ , do I speak too fast?”

Jia bit into her sweet bun with an odd expression on her face, but shook her head.

“You understand well?” Tala asked, “I-I know I am all _ challan-” _

_ “Challan?” _ Jia asked, perking up with a wide smile. “What does that mean?!”

Tala blushed. “Oh, yes.”

She twisted her arms around, doing her best to mime out the meaning, but Jia just stared blankly. 

Tala looked around for something,  _ anything _ , to help Jia understand, but couldn’t see anything within reach that would clear up the confusion.

Flustered, she whined, “ _ Fenhai _ !  _ Goh yeuyi pohn tanjao duitai lokeijo _ ?!”

“I...don’t understand,” said Jia. 

“Sorry!” Tala whimpered, switching back to common tongue. “Miss-speak  _ my _ words. Sad I cannot tell meaning.”

“It’s alright, I don’t have to know what that word means,” said Jia, sighing wistfully. “I wish you  _ could _ speak well, then you could teach me some more of your words.”

Tala perked up, thinking of something. “Will try, again!”

Tala stood up, and grabbed a few things from one of the drawers, and scattered them onto the floor in front of Jia. 

“ _ Challan _ means…” said Tala, knitting her eyebrows together with focus. 

She took the hairbrush, buttons, and hair clip, and put them into their own separate piles, paused, then started to move them around so that they were all in a pile together. 

“... _ Ui _ , understand?”

She looked up, and almost began to cry, worried when she saw the confusion worsen on Jia’s face. 

Jia stared at the pile for a while, chewing on her sweet bun. Tala’s throat tightened. She wanted so desperately for Jia to understand, hating herself for not being smart enough to say it in Jia’s language, in the first place. 

Jia’s eyes widened, when she said, “Oh! Mix up!..right? Did I get it right?”

Tala nodded, shyly. She played with the tails of her braids, looking away and mumbling, “ _ Ui _ , Sorry.”

Jia smiled. “For what?”

“Not good at speaking,” she said. “Sorry.”

Jia shook her head, and swallowed the rest of her bun. 

“I understand you fine, sweetie,” she insisted, reaching for another bun from the plate beside her. “Go on, I want to know what happened next! You’re doing really well! Guan’s taught you so much!”

“Oh! Best part!” said Tala with a bright smile, trying to hide her feelings. “Saw Jun!”

The sweet bun fell out of Jia’s mouth. “You did?”

“He got Huhu back home,” said Tala, forgetting the word for stables, “and Dashi st- _ borrowed  _ his hat. Think they are friends.”

“Dashi is his only friend,” said Jia, with a thought-filled smile. “He’s the only person outside of me and our mother who’s ever treated Jun kindly.”

Tala blushed, remembering her unkind thoughts about Jun. She said, “He is nice.”

Jia looked a little sad. 

“That’s kind of you to say,” she said, “but I can tell he made you uncomfortable.”

Tala flinched. “ _ Yeu _ !”

“Tala,” said Jia, flatly, “Come on.”

_ “Aitai,”  _ Tala muttered, her face growing hot.

“It’s written all over your face,” Jia explained. “Plus, you haven’t looked me in the eye since bringing him up.”

Tala covered her eyes with a groan. “ _ Ui _ , sorry!” 

“It’s _ okay, _ Tala,” Jia said, “I understand! Jun’s different. He makes many people uncomfortable, at first glance.”

“Was not lie, when I said he was nice,” Tala offered. “He is just  _ very _ , what is word? Bouncy.”

“Well, he  _ was _ born in the year of the monkey,” said Jia. 

“O-oh,” Tala joined, hesitantly, “Joke, yes?”

Jia smiled, biting into another sweet bun. 

“Jun’s had that energy for as long as I can remember,” said Jia. “He has a hard time concentrating, and his mouth often goes before his head, as they say. That part’s somewhat a familial trait though, if I’m honest.”

“Jun cannot stay still.” Tala said, remembering how much he fidgeted. 

“Jun’s  _ energetic _ ,” said Jia. “The only thing that seems to keep him from literally jumping off the walls are the horses he cares for. When our father sent us here, Jun was to be a warrior, and I was sent to work in the kitchens. It wasn’t even six months into our first year, that we were almost sent to another monastery, or just cast out altogether.”

Tala gasped, covering her mouth. “Horrible!”

“It was because people began to complain about him,” said Jia. “They said that Jun kept interrupting classes, and wouldn’t focus on his studies. He was disrupting the other monks during meditation hours with his fidgeting, and he wasn’t able to memorize any of the stances they taught him, no matter how many times he went over them. He was too loud, too awkward, and just could not sit still.” 

Jia stopped for a moment, eyes on the candle at her side. Her jaw was clenched, as Tala watched her think. Tala tried not to fidget, and played with the hem of her robe, instead.

“Actually, now that I think about it,” Jia finally said, “it was Dashi that helped him take the job at the stables.”

Tala sat a little straighter, and grabbed a sweet bun, herself. “Dashi help?”

Jia nodded, her throat bobbing. “He suggested to the masters that Jun’s energy should be directed into something productive that would benefit the rest of the Temple as well, and introduced Jun to the stable master, who was looking to train someone in helping him to raise and care for the horses.”

“Jun loves horses, much,” Tala said, smiling at the memory of how he nuzzled Huhu.

“They saved him, in a way,” said Jia. “His memory has improved, since apprenticing to become a stable master. When Jun’s working with a horse, he’s able to stay on the tasks the stable master sets for him. I sometimes think he focuses too much on them, but it’s something. He feels like he has a purpose, now.” 

“Jun is happy,” said Tala, nodding. “Jun loves you, too.”

Jia smiled, sadly.

“I haven’t seen him much, lately,” she admitted. “We’ve been so busy rationing out the stocks to last until spring, that I haven’t had time to go see him.”

“Jun not act lonely,”  Tala assured her, though slowly, since she couldn’t quite remember the best words to use. “Think Dashi sees him, most.”

Jia blew the stray hairs off of her forehead.

“Of course he does,” she said. “He’s constantly borrowing one of the horses, to ride into town. Jun lets him, since he considers Dashi his best friend.”

“ _ Ui _ not like Dashi?”

Jia huffed, smirking. 

“It’s complicated,” she said. “I respect Dashi. My and my brother’s staying here wouldn’t have been made possible without him- but Jun is just so  _ dense, _ sometimes. I don’t think he understands when people take advantage of him. He’s too trusting, and his head is always in the clouds. I don’t want to think badly of the Honored Apprentice, but I’ll put it this way: I don’t think he cares as much about Jun as Jun does about him.” 

Tala rubbed her arm. She had to admit that Jia’s feelings were valid, but seeing how Dashi and Jun laughed with each other, she wasn’t sure if Jia’s suspicions were entirely true. The silence between her and Jia settled into awkwardness, and avoided gazes. 

“Dashi and Jun are close,” she said, finally. “Dashi is playful to him, and they were…um, what is word?  _ Aitai, deir lokeijo yert _ …”

Jia smiled a little, the pity in her eyes making Tala fluster with a deep blush. 

Tala heaved a great sigh, and tried again, this time speaking very slowly.

“You are Jun’s sister,” she said, “but Jun knows Jun best. Trust Jun to know what is good for Jun.  _ Ui _ , trust Dashi, because Jun trust Dashi as good friend… Understand?” 

Jia folded her arms, and lifted her chin to look down at Tala from her nose.

“You really think so?” asked Jia, her voice colder than the snow outside. 

“Yes.”

Jia clicked her tongue. It might as well have been a door slamming. Tala braced, squeezing her eyes shut. 

“I guess you’re right,” Jia sighed, angrily. 

Tala opened her eyes and slowly uncurled from herself. “Spoke right?”

Jia just shrugged, pouting as she ripped off a piece of her sweet bun and popped it into her mouth. 

“I mean, I understood you, but now I kind of miss when you weren’t able to talk so much,” she said. “I’m starting to resent how smart you are.”

“ _ Ui _ , you protect Jun well,” said Tala, eyeing the scars on Jia’s arms. She shivered, remembering the story behind them. “but Jun is good at protecting Jun, too.” 

“He’s my brother,” Jia said, tugging at her sleeve when she noticed Tala’s eyes on her. “Don’t worry about it, okay? It’s my own problem.”

Jia whipped her head to a knock at the inner door, frowning. Tala tensed, watching as she got up in silence, and crossed the room to open it. Chase stood there, smile dropping when Jia’s glare matched his. 

Jia bowed and allowed Chase to enter, murmuring, “Honored Apprentice.” 

Chase didn’t acknowledge her, instead briskly crossing the room with a sour expression. When his eyes met Tala’s, however, he broke into a grin. 

“Oh, sweet buns!” he said, dropping to the floor to snag one of the snacks.

He said to Jia over his shoulder, “You can leave.”

Jia exchanged glances with Tala before ducking out of the room in a huff.

Tala glared at Chase. “Do not be rude!”

“Whatever,” said Chase, laying on his stomach. 

“Chase.”

“Whaaat?” Chase groaned, with a roll of his eyes. “We’re future Xiaolin Dragons. People have to listen to us, no matter what. Who cares!”

“I care!” Tala snapped. 

Chase grumbled into his sweet bun. “She’s just a maid, anyway.”

Tala snatched the plate away as Chase went for another. 

“ _ Ui _ is my _ friend _ ,” she said, “and not appre- ugh, not  _ like _ you being so, what is word?  _ Aitai _ , just used it!  _ Fenhai, lokeijo deir _ ?.. Horrible! You are horrible!”

Chase narrowed his eyes, and reached for the plate. Tala held it to the left. He tried again, and she held it to the right. 

“Come on, Tala, I’m starving!”

“No. Must promise nice words to people,” said Tala. 

“Whatever, you’re not making sense,” he said, trying to grab a bun, again. “Gimme a sweet bun!”

Tala held the plate out of Chase’s reach, one more time. Chase growled and tried to lunge fo it, but didn’t have enough leverage to reach it, as Tala raised the plate over her head. 

“No good,” she chirped. 

Chase let his face touch the floor, hand still raised. He grumbled, and curled his reaching fingers into a fist of defeat. Tala smirked. 

Chase sat up, groaning the whole way.

“Taaalaaaa, we’ve been training all day!” he whined. “I’m hungry, please!”

Tala balanced the plate on her head, and folded her arms.

“Nice is not hard,” she said.

“Then be nice to _ me _ !” Chase pouted. He gave her sad eyes. “Please?”

“Said please, fine,” she said, taking a bun off of the plate. She pointed it at him. “Why not nice?”

Chase brightened and reached for it, but then Tala bit into the bun, herself. 

“Hey!” Chase laughed out his surprise. 

Tala took the plate from her head and moved it back to her lap. 

“I can be nice to people,” she said, pointing the half-eaten bun at him. “Speak it.”

Chase sighed. “Fine. I can be nice to people.”

Tala gasped angrily, when Chase leaned over and licked the bun in her hand. He snatched the plate from her, while Tala was distracted by how disgusted she was. 

“Hey!” Tala shouted, when Chase took a fresh bun and bit into it. 

She tossed her bun at him, and he caught it before it hit his face. 

“...I just choose not to be,” he said, grinning. 

Tala grinned, herself, snapping her fingers. Chase nearly leapt up when the plate disappeared from his lap. It reappeared in Tala’s hand.

“You get only that, now,” she told him, nodding to the licked bun now crushed between his fingers. “Eat slow.”

“Ha ha, funny,” Chase grunted, leaning his chin into his palm. 

He bit into it, licking his fingers, and asked, “When are you going to start practicing your magic again, anyway?”

Tala pressed her lips together, and looked to the plate in her lap. 

Chase sat up straight. 

“Tala,” said Chase, his voice edging on a warning, “when are you going to practice magic again?”

Tala tensed, feeling his glare point like a dagger at her forehead. 

“ _ Tala _ ,” he said again, “please,  _ tell _ me you’re practicing!”

In a very small voice, she admitted, “No.”

“Tala!” Chase cried, making Tala shrink into herself. “If the masters find out you’re not doing anything to control your magic, they’ll probably lock you up until you do! Don’t you remember what Master Honghui told you? If they have _ any _ reason to suspect you of treason, you’ll be marked as a witch. Do you want that? Do you want to be an enemy to all of China?”

“No! Just think too much, okay?” Tala shot back. “ _ And _ training to become an Apprentice,  _ and  _ learning to read,  _ and  _ Ugh! Just not want it!”

Chase leaned in, pressing a hand to his heart. 

“Then let me  _ help _ you,” he said. “Maybe if we mix your magic with martial arts, then we could-”

“No,” Tala snapped. “No way. Cannot do martial arts, well! Magic to just make it worse!”

“I’ll tutor you!” Chase said, slapping his knees happily. “We can just focus on your special needs. Dad has it all wrong. It’s not just your form that’s off, it’s also the forms he’s trying to mold you _ to _ . I think I’ve figured out a better way for you to keep your balance, and I can use it to start training you in some of the animal styles. I was thinking  _ Monkey _ , and I thought of this new move that could strengthen the style, that even  _ you _ can do with your small size, and-”

“Chase,” said Tala, holding up a hand. “Big kind of you, but we should talk, later. I am tired, and we have sunrise training, tomorrow.”

Chase’s face fell. 

“Oh,” he said, quietly. “Okay.”

Tala picked up the plate, and placed it on the counter. She looked at Chase from over her shoulder. His cheeks were in his hands as he watched the flame on the candle dance, sighing. The flame whiplashed from his breath, then stood straighter than ever, a thin line of black smoke whipping out of its tail. 

Tala grumbled inwardly to herself, ‘Seriously, he’s got to be kidding me.’ 

“Not be sad,” Tala told him, as she walked back. 

She slumped down beside Chase, nudging his shoulder with hers. Chase’s frown dipped deeper. 

“Sorry, Chase, really,” she insisted. “Just must be -what is word- heelful?”

“Heedful,” Chase grumbled. 

Tala sighed.

“I have no want to hurt you, again,” she said. “I have no want for anypeople to be hurt, again.”

“ _ Anyone _ ,” Chase grumbled, even more shortly, “or, anybody.” 

Tala nodded, taking a mental note.

Chase leaned back on his hands, making a very obvious point of not looking at her, by turning his face to the ceiling. His jaw clenched, when Tala inched closer to him. 

“I’m not fragile,” he snapped. 

“Said no things,” said Tala, resting her head on her knees, her face turned to watch his face. 

“Besides,” said Chase, “you  _ need _ to learn how to wield your own magic, in order to keep it from hurting people.”

“If not used, no,” said Tala.

“Tala,” Chase deadpanned, “you and I both know that’s not how this thing works. Your magic reacts every time you get upset. Don’t you want to make sure you can reel it back, when it threatens to break loose?”

Tala hugged her knees just a little more tightly. 

“Yes,” she said, “but not good to risk trying new idea and make a, what is word? Bad idea, but big and not meaning to.”

“An accident.”

“I have no want for accident,” said Tala. “That is why I must do it all alone.  _ With not  _ your help.”

“Without,” said Chase.

Chase sighed and lay on his back, folding his hands behind his head. 

“Good luck with that, then,” he said, “but so you know, my offer always stands.”

He shifted to his side, facing away from her. “Good night.”

Tala narrowed her eyes at him, hesitant, as she blew out the candle. “Good night, then.”


	12. Chapter 12

Twelve_  Papercut 

“Have to say,” said Tala. “I mean, I have something to say.”

She sat opposite of Guan in the receiving parlor of his suite, with a pot of tea between them at the little corner table beside the paper window. Tala picked at the chip in her cup, very careful not to look at him. Guan watched a dimple form, as her tiny jaw clenched. The birthmark on the side of Tala’s left eye went from a dot into a half-moon, when her eyes squinted with held back emotion.

“A confession,” encouraged Guan, amused.  “Whatever for?”

Tala breathed in deep and released it with a sigh. Upon the edge of that sigh was the smallest of murmurs, “Think you were wrong."

The corners of Guan’s mouth turned up, with confusion. 

"What?" he asked, hesitantly.

“Chase," she said, meeting his eyes. " I know you said that he is picky, and it is hard to trust at first, but...Think...maybe.. Trust will not happen.. Ever."

Guan tried to swallow, but found that he could not choke back the surprise and disappointment plaguing the ball in his throat. 

"That's surprising," he said, with a leveled voice. Taking another sip of his tea he asked, "What's brought this on so suddenly? Did something happen between you two?”

"W-well, tell to you would be bad idea," Tala stammered, the resolve in her eyes waning and giving way to the embarrassed flush in her cheeks. "I know it sounds silly-strange.”

“Just strange is fine.”

Tala winced. 

“I know he means well by  _ me _ , but Chase is mean to anypeople who are not Xiaolin Warriors, and he keeps picky-ing me to let him tutor outside of training, and it  _ thinks _ to be good idea, but feels like he just wants for himself."

Guan could not fight his impatience. 

"You’re being ridiculous," said Guan, tossing back his now luke-warm tea as if it were stronger stuff. "Of course Chase wants to tutor you in martial arts! It is in the same way that I am helping you to read, or if Dashi were to help you with meditation. It is what he is best at. We four are a team, and I’m sure Chase is  _ just _ trying to help you become  _ your  _ best, as one of our fellow future Xiaolin Dragons.”

“But-”

“As for being  _ mean _ ,” added Guan sharply, “I’ve already explained that Chase sometimes oversteps boundaries, but he doesn’t mean anything by it. You need to look past your own biases, and realize that Chase is just  _ different _ from you, and reacts to things in other ways than you would.”

“Bias,” echoed Tala.

Guan ignored her, too annoyed to explain.

“I know Chase, and he is warm to everyone,” he said, “but he can’t be heroic and charming all of the time. He may have just been having a hard day.”

“Yes, but-”

“No buts,” said Guan. He nodded to the tome. “Read the next line.”

He watched Tala squint at the page for a moment, before looking up at him. Her wide, grey eyes were a tad desperate. 

"You said he was hard-trusting to you, too," she insisted. "Chase may be a friend, but understand, please, what I say. I feel that he is bad at ideas...No, that is wrong... I-I cannot know if he is ever saying true things. Do I speak right?"

Guan’s back teeth ground against each other, but he tried not to show it on his face. 

"Has Chase ever lied to you?" he asked. “Outright?”

"No," she admitted. 

“You’ve caught him in a lie, then,” Guan concluded. “You must have, to be this insistent in trying to convince me that Chase is secretly… what, exactly? Slightly rude to the staff, on occasion? Imperfect?”

Tala shook her head, the ends of her braids flopping with its vigor. “That’s not what I am trying to say! Spoke it wrong!”

"Then, what has led you to believe that he ever has?" Guan persisted, not caring that Tala’s eyes were misting over. "What makes you think that he is not telling you the truth?"

"Only feeling," she snapped. "Not have right words to say it best, but please, beleive!"

Tala said something in a language Guan didn’t know, rubbing a palm over her eye. Her chin quivered as she kept her eyes off of his. 

“Not say it right,” she insisted, quietly. “Want to tell you best, but cannot.”

"I can explain it,” he said. “You claim that Chase is your friend, and yet you’re sitting here, talking to me about how much you don’t like him. Truth be told, Chase is my  _ best friend _ \- and I his- and you should know that you and I will no longer  _ be _ friends, if you continue to speak badly of him like this behind his back. Can you not tell me what happened? What  _ really _ happened between you two?”

Tala spoke very quietly. “No. Spoke, already. Cannot-”

“Then, I don’t want to hear it,” Guan snapped, fire lashing his neck. “Let’s get back to the lesson, and leave this nonsense behind. I almost don’t even want to finish. I should send you home.”

“ _ Y _ -you are right,” Tala stammered. “Sorry, bad idea. We can finish, now.”

Guan swallowed. “Good. Read the next line.”

“The Xiaolin Dragons have m-many secret treasures, but none compare to the legen- legen-”

“Legendary,” said Guan.

“Leg-en-dary Scroll of Ages,” read Tala. “It is said that with every new Grand Master appoin- _ ted _ to the Xiaolin Temple, the Scroll magically rewrites itself, and chooses the next warriors in the line of.. _ succession  _ of the Xiaolin Dragons that he alone is meant to...raise up and train to de-fat..  _ defeat _ evil. The Scroll of Ages must always stay within the Jade Circle, for legend states that if it were ever to fall into Heylin hands, the dynasties?-Ah,  _ destinies _ of all the future Xiaolin Dragons could not only be revealed, but be rewritten entirely, and wiped out, if the Scroll of Ages is destroyed.”

Guan nodded. 

“Very good,” he said. “You’ve improved, dramatically.”

“Dramatically?”

“Yes,” said Guan, “It is similar to the word ‘extreme.’ Like how you’ve been acting, lately.”

Tala leaned back. 

“ _ Jo _ , sorry, Guan,” she said. “There is much, in my head. Cannot think well.”

“The assessments are over,” said Guan. “What else is there for you to worry about?”

Tala waved a hand over the tome, glaring flatly at him with a grunt. 

“You’re still thinking about your place in the Xiaolin Dragons?” he asked, raising his eyebrows. 

“ _ Hate _ legends,” she whined. “All fake! Made to scare us into listening to elders! A scroll is  _ not _ magic, it is paper! There is no destiny, just much old men in a circle, saying how best to keep an old story alive. Think it is not a  _ true  _ scroll.”

“Tala, this legend  _ is  _ true,” said Guan. “How else could our names have been in the Scroll of Ages? How could _ your  _ name have been in the Scroll, when you had only just arrived to the Xiaolin Temple, when it was revealed?”

Tala stiffened. “Lucky guess!”

“A guess that helped you to rise above your station,” Guan pointed out, with a grin, “and live in the same luxury you could only dream of before, as a poor orphan living in a kitchen.”

Tala narrowed her eyes. 

“ _ Not _ an orphan,” she growled. “Papa’s coming back for me! He promised!”

Guan narrowed his eyes, sadness creeping up on him. “Tala.”

“Anyway,”  she snapped, waving her hand, impatiently, “Know I own-”

“-Owe,” corrected Guan.

“-a lot, for to be a Xiaolin Trainee. More than you think, but, must I thank a piece of _paper_? It has no mind! What to do, bow down and pray to it?”

Tala clasped her hands together, fluttering her eyelashes.

“Oh, mighty Scroll of Ages,” she cooed, “thank you for blessing me! Promise to use my position and big destiny  _ only _ to read dusty old books about no things, and boss working-hard maids around~”   
  
Guan rolled his eyes. 

"My point is," he said, "that things are not always as black and white as you have lead yourself to believe. Both about the Scroll,  _ and _ about Chase.”

"Wrong," she said. "Objects cannot  _ be _ magic. Only people-”

“ _ Witches _ ,” Guan corrected, under his breath.

“-who have minds, and feelings, and do things on their own. Do you know what _ I  _ think?”

“What?”

“Someone writes the Scroll, themselves,” Tala concluded, folding her arms smugly. “Think it is Grand Master Wei, and before him it was the other Grand Master, and another, and _ another  _ before that. They choose whoever they like. Then, they take secret to ghosts.”

“Don’t say such things,” Guan warned. 

“Ha!” Tala spat. “The Scroll of Ages only ugly sheepskin that is written over and over again, by much old men in a dark room to keep stupid, old nothing about light monks and monsters in all minds, so  _ normal  _ people will fear them and give them all of the gold, and clothes, and food, and everything else they want,  _ because _ the Elders say the Scroll protects them from things that have no exits _. _ ”

Guan sighed, “Did you, perhaps, mean ‘things that no longer  _ exist _ ?’”

Tala grumbled, “Not exits,  _ ever _ .”

“Tala, I’m serious,” said Guan. “If Master Young or Master Honghui hear you speak so harshly, you will be punished severely. And if the Grand Master heard you himself, any favor you’ve gained with him as the future Wind Dragon will be lost. You could even be exiled.”

Tala harrumphed, flipping the page. “ _ Not  _ believe in those monsters you told me about,” she said, “ _ Not _ believe in the Scroll of Ages, and  _ most not _ believe you and I have big, big destiny,  _ just _ because piece of paper in a box spoke it so.”

Guan snorted.  He asked, “If a piece of paper has no mind, Tala, then how does it speak?”

Tala growled with frustration, pouting with her arms folded.

“I don’t understand why you’re so angry about being chosen,” said Guan, “but you need to change that attitude of yours quickly before it lands you into trouble. You  _ do  _ have a destiny, and it has been set before you. Embrace it like an adult, and deal with it.”

“Not  _ like _ to be told I have no choice,” Tala grumbled, “mostly when I am not good to anypeople, in this place!”

“You’re not of use to anyone  _ yet _ -” Guan assured her.

“ _ Fenhai. _ ”

“-but you _ will _ be, with time and hard work. You’ll never become a true Xiaolin Master by taking shortcuts.”

“Will not be a master of anything,” said Tala, fiddling with the corner of the page she held. “Not need it, when Papa comes back, anyway. Why try?”

"You have talent," Guan answered. “You will get there, with time and practice.”

He watched Tala read silently for a while. Her forehead creased every so often, as she got stuck on a sentence, mouthing silently to herself. Guan rested his chin on his knuckles, and took a sip of tea, finding the range of emotions sweeping across Tala’s face rather hilarious.

Guan bit back a smile. “Do you need-”

“No!”

Guan sighed. “You really are just a child, aren’t you?”

Tala slammed the book down, and glared at Guan. "What is your badness?!"

"My  _ problem _ is that you are acting like a spoiled baby, making hurtful acquisitions and treasonous theories left and right, as if they will absolve you of any responsibility you have for your reprehensible behavior," he told her, frankly. 

“Albosv.”

“I swear, you do that on purpose, just to annoy me!” Guan cried. “How in the world does absolve sound anything close to  _ that _ ?!”

“Too many big words, Guan,” Tala told him, flatly.

“I’m not going to baby you, any longer,” he snapped back. “ _ Learn _ .”

Tala glared at him, snapping her mouth shut. She clenched her jaw and balled her fists, staring at him with such an intense glower that her grey eyes looked almost white from the glint of bitterness in them.

"You have nothing to say," he challenged.

He watched her throat bob, but Tala did not answer. Guan stood, and Tala's gaze dropped to the floor, though the childish hatred in her eyes did not change. She looked as though she was practically shaking from anger.

"I have said so, myself, that I am also guilty of mistrust in both my friends and the Xiaolin Temple, so I can’t entirely fault you for how you feel," Guan assured her, as his own anger faded and guilt for making Tala upset began to settle in. 

He remembered his own loneliness after his father’s death, and how hard he had tried to push everyone away, too. Guan deflated at the memory, bitterness fading into understanding.

"I, of all people, would know what it feels like to mistrust those who are genuinely trying to help you,” he said, seeing his younger self in her eyes, “but your personal fears are not an excuse to damage the relationships you have with others,  _ especially _ your teammates.”

Tala still said nothing, shifting uncomfortably and clenching her fists until her brown knuckles turned yellow.

"Do yourself a favor, and give Chase a chance," Guan insisted. "Give  _ all of this  _ a chance. Put whatever caused you to mistrust us aside, for a moment. Look at the Xiaolin Temple for what it truly is, and you will see that no only Chase, but everyone here, are trustworthy people who care about you.”

Tala’s eyes softened a little, and she wiped more tears away with a hiccup. 

Guan softened, too. 

“I don’t pretend to know what you went through before coming here, Tala,” he said, “but I do know what it’s like to miss your father, and  to try to build a new life after losing everything you’ve ever known. I lost my home and family, too. It took me a long time to accept my father’s passing, and I took it out on my fellow teammates, until Chase reached out to me, and didn’t give up on becoming my friend. I made it through my darkest of times, with him at my side.”

Tala sighed, nodding with a small smile on her face.

“I have friend like that, too,” she said. “Sorry for saying mean things. Understand why you got angry at me.” 

“It’s not  _ me _ you should be apologizing to,” said Guan, “but, thank you.”

Tala shrugged, then stood, awkwardly. 

“I will give chance,” she said, sneaking a shy smile up at Guan.

He smiled, in return.

 “It will never replace your father,” Guan suggested, “but if you stop searching for him for a moment, and actually take the time to look around you, you will see that the Xiaolin Temple  _ is  _ your home, and if you’ll accept us, we fellow Xiaolin Dragons can also be your family."

* * *

  
  
Two days passed, while Tala chewed over what Guan had told her. She was still sullen about it, guilt and stubbornness pushing against each other, causing Tala to be even more sour when she had to admit the truth in what he said. She needed to give Chase a chance, to prove that he indeed was trustworthy, if only to put her unease at rest.  So on that foggy, grey morning, Tala decided to do just that.

"Chase," Tala called, when she spotted him by the koi pond.

Chase smiled, when she joined him and plopped herself down on the dried, brown grass. Tala could see his breath when he asked, "What is it that you wanted to talk to me about?"

"Well," she said, "remember when you asked to mix martial arts with my magic, and use it better?"

"And how you painfully shot me down and said no?" he added, playfully. "Yes, I remember."

Tala rubbed the back of her neck. “Right, sorry.”

Chase shrugged, checking the dirt beneath his nails. He pressed into Tala, and she could feel Chase shiver against the cold, even beneath his jacket. She pressed back, thankful for the body heat. They watched the ducks on the lake together, a mallard flapping his wings to the female swimming nearby.  

"A-anyway, wanted to practice, tonight," said Tala with a smile, though her insides were twisting. Her instincts were screaming at her to stop so fiercely, that her throat closed in on her voice. "I..am, what is word? You..come to.. _ with _ me?”

Chase opened his mouth.

“Ah,” Tala found the word, before he could answer, “ _ inviting _ you to join me."

" _ Yeah _ ," said Chase, "and I'll just hide behind the wall, like I always do, to keep watch, so that nobody else finds out."

The ducks few off together, joining a flock that few by, trumpeting against the grey sky as they flew south. The cold wind blew through the trees, threatening snow. Tala watched the ducks go, and one of the female’s brown feathers floated down and stuck upright in the grass. She stared at it intently, wishing that she and the duck could trade places.

" _ Yeu, Shatuy," _ she spat, the curse aimed more towards herself than him. "I want you to be with me. Tonight, want to try more.”

Chase sat up a little, but Tala kept staring at the feather, not wanting to see the look on Chase’s face. Perhaps it wasn’t too late to join the ducks. 

“Tutor me in martial arts,” she sighed, admitting defeat. “I want to try magic, with you.”

"Wait," said Chase, voice strangled with excitement. "Seriously?"

Tala looked at him from under her eyebrows, Guan’s hopeful smile in the back of her mind cheering her on. 

A smile spread slowly across Chase’s face too, as Tala answered, "You have told me from start  you want to learn magic, so think you will learn best if you see, and think you train me to do martial arts, too. Would help much, to do good magic, I think..Stop your mouth."

Tala flicked the side of his mouth, to starve off his creepy smile, and Chase dropped the grin into a frown, rubbing at the spot she had made sore.

"Tonight,  _ only _ ," Tala warned him, sternly. "Yes?"

"Yes," Chase chirped quickly, "I completely understand! Don't you worry about a thing! I will not push  _ anything _ unless the experiment works, and you’re willing to let me in on more sessions after this, I swear!"

Tala had to admit that she felt happy for Chase. He was so thrilled, tossing around wild hand gestures and theories as to how her magic would react to his martial arts lessons. He talked for almost an hour about it as they sat by the lake, grinning from ear-to-ear the whole time. The way his eyes lit up with such delight made Tala smile, finding the feeling to be a bit contagious.

Perhaps Guan was right, that Chase did honestly just want to help, and she was just being highly paranoid about everything. Chase was finally going to get his wish after a year of sticking close beside her, and yet, at the back of her mind, Tala could not shake the feeling that something was going to go wrong.

  
  



	13. Chapter 13

Thirteen_Change Of Heart 

Chase could not help the smile on his face. Night had fallen, and he was making his way to the meeting place. Tala was already there, he knew, and if he set his tiles right, she would be eating out of his hand, in no time. He just needed to convince her that he was willing enough, and trustworthy enough, to learn her secrets.

Not that it would be hard. Tala was a smart girl, but not completely invulnerable. Beneath that rough shell was a bundle of powerful energy.  _ Nervous _ energy, but powerful. Chase remembered it well, rubbing the spot on his head where it had collided with the tree last year thoughtfully, his smile widening at the memory. Now, he just needed to find a way to work that energy to his advantage. Perhaps tonight would be the night to that.

Even under her guise of friendship, Chase could see that Tala was keeping him at arms-length. She obviously did not trust him. Her maid friend was very right about Tala not being as sneaky as she thought. That didn't matter much. The point was that he had invested far too much time into this relationship to just leave it alone. All he needed to do was play along tonight, be a good boy, and soon-very,  _ very  _ soon- Chase would know everything he would ever need to know about Tala and her magic.

Chase leaned against the edge of the wall, smiling in on the tiny courtyard where Tala was meditating. She always did that, before telling him to turn around and keep watch, allowing her to practice in peace. He had to admit that he had missed this, since she stopped last year, just after his and the other’s finished their Apprentice assessments.

Nostalgia warmed him against the chilly wind, and he sighed wistfully, because _ finally _ he wouldn't have to turn around. How fitting that her fist night of practicing again would begin with Chase’s own first night of learning the secrets of her magic. 

Pushing himself up, Chase decided to let his presence be known, before he could accidentally startle her. Tonight, there would be no room for mistakes.

"Glad to see you've gotten the party started without me," he joked, lightly.

Tala turned around and smiled, making the half-moon shape of her eyes crinkle into crescents. The little black dot on her cheek nearly disappeared, with the obviously fake smile. She practically bounced up to her feet, as Chase walked down to meet her beneath the willow tree.

"We will start, now?" she asked in that strange little accent of hers. It made him think of wind chimes this time, hanging on the edge of her voice like the cloak that was wrapped loosely around her shoulders; soft and elegant.

"I'm ready, when you are," Chase answered. "Grand Master Wei's eunuch is keeping guard for us. I told him that you wanted to try something different, tonight."

"Hope he does not think of much," she said, no longer smiling. “Not sure if plan will work.”

Oh? Chase raised an eyebrow. "Was that not okay?"

"Not know to do many tricks," answered Tala, folding her arms. “Not sure to teach  _ you _ any tricks, too. Feel like this is bad idea.”

He highly doubted that. Chase knew exactly what Tala was capable of. This fake modesty of hers was not doing the girl any favors. It only made him more curious.

"Hey," he assured her, placing a hand on her shoulder, and kneeling to look Tala in the eyes. "You’ve got this, alright? Just show me some of the stuff you already know pretty well, okay?"

He pretended to pluck a leaf from Tala's hair just near her shoulder.

"You have your hair down tonight," he observed, though he'd already noticed it the minute he had seen her, "I like it. Reminds me of the night we met, actually. Very pretty."

The look on Tala's frozen face was hilarious. She was stuck in time for a couple of seconds before tucking the strands he had touched behind her ear.

“ _ Aitai _ , _ Ceuyao, _ " she snipped, in her first language. Her tongue clicked on the last word, reminding Chase of the sound of crackling fire.

“What’s that?” he asked, smiling at the strange, beautiful sound of her native words. “Did you just confess your love to me?”

“Big no,” said Tala, flatly.

“What did you call me?” Chase persisted, with a wide grin. “Does it mean handsome?”

Tala just stared at Chase, blankly. “Big,  _ big _ No.”

“Aww, why won’t you tell me?” Chase asked, pleading playfully. “I teach you stuff all of the time!”

“Not tell,” she said, and Chase could see color crawling into her cheeks. “Let us go, now."

She turned away from him, and Chase stood. How cute, she was embarrassed. Chase knew it was rude to snort, but he didn't care. Just as he'd thought, she'd be eating out of his hand, in no time.

Chase shoved his hands into his coat pockets and walked to her side, leaning over to get as close to Tala’s face as possible.

"It's better than those dumb braids you wear all of the time now, anyway," he said, "I'm surprised they even stay in place, with your curls like that. How do you even manage?"

"Why is hair big idea?" asked Tala, turning her head away again.

Chase bit back another snort. “What?”

“...important!” Tala snapped. Her face was deep red, now.

“I’m just making conversation, Tal,” said Chase, playing innocent.

This was too fun, for his own good. Tala was much more reluctant than the other girls, which was new. She was quite possibly the first girl to actually want to get  _ away _ from his face. Her anger just made it all the more hilarious.

"Are you blushing?" he persisted, with a laugh. "You are! You are  _ so _ blushing!"

"Stop your mouth," she said, whirling around and slapping his shoulder. "Do not stand close!"

"Aw, poor baby," he said. "Does somebody have a crush?"

She glared at him flatly, then pushed past Chase to stand directly under the willow tree.

"I don't blame you," said Chase, unable to help himself. This was far, far too fun. "I'm pretty popular. It's not uncommon for young girls like you to fall for a clever and dashing Xiaolin Apprentice, like myself."

Tala turned to face him, looking far less than amused. 

“No squeaking, you rooster!" she said, or so Chase thought she said. He could barely understand her by this point, and honestly, he wanted to laugh.

“Roosters  _ squawk _ ,” he said.

“You are a bull!” Tala cried, when Chase gave in to the sour look on her little face and started to giggle. 

“Bully!” he laughed, holding his clenching stomach. “I’m a  _ bully _ !”

“Yes!” she snapped over his laughter. “Change mind! No magic!”

"Alright, alright," said Chase, sobering quickly.

Tala turned her back to him in a huff, her arms folded. Her nose was turned to the air, as she made a point not to look at him.

"Calm down. I'm done,” said Chase. “I just wanted to loosen you up a little, that's all. Looks like I all I did was just wind you up tighter."

Tala loosened a little, and half-turned to peek at him, still pouting.

He pointed a finger at her. “ _ Don’t  _ throw me into the tree, again.”

Tala, such a funny little girl, rolled her eyes and stuck her tongue out at him. One minute she was sweet and cute, the next she was sour and bratty. Chase was a bit amazed by how quickly her mood could change.

"Let us start,"  said Tala, her accent clearing back into something much more discernible. She pointed to one of the tree's raised roots, and said, "Sit."

Chase obeyed quickly, knowing that it would be much easier for him to listen.  Plan One worked. He'd tested her out to see just exactly where Tala’s fuse ended, and what he could get away with. Chase had suspected it to be short, by her outbursts before, but  _ wow. _ Now was time for Plan Two; wait and observe, and hope that he could see something awesome. 

"The first thing I am to do," Tala explained, "is focus myself by... _ centering _ ? Centering my magic into my belly. I feel sugar on my hands, first-”

“Sugar?”

Tala wiggled her fingers, making a weird hissing sound.

“That doesn’t make sense,” Chase drawled, already bored. 

Tala groaned a little before rubbing her hands together, and said, “Like wiping off sweet bun. Feels like that.”

Ah, tingling. Chase nodded, understanding.  

Tala pressed her hands to her stomach, and said, “Know magic wants to go, when I feel hurt in my belly."

Chase perked up a little, concerned. “It  _ hurts _ ?”

Tala shook her head, quickly, saying, “Spoke wrong! Mean that it… fire?”

“Burns,” said Chase. “The word you’re looking for is ‘burns.’”

Tala sat down and began to meditate, straightening her back and holding her fists together at their knuckles. Several minutes passed by in silence until Tala opened her eyes again. She stood up, staring down at him with a blank stare. Her silver eyes seemed brighter than before, and stared through him as if he were the wind itself.

"That's it?" he scoffed. "No calling of spirits, no raising the dead? You just meditate?"

"Yes," she said, "but can speak curse on you, if want."

“Yeah, no thanks,” he said. “Dad would probably set you on fire.”

He noticed Tala shift uncomfortably. His stomach dropped, realizing how bad that joke was. 

“So…” he said, “this is really all you do?”

"Because of nightmares, I am silly-strange," said Tala.

“That’s an understatement,” Chase grumbled.

“Meditation helps," Tala explained.

"I hope the rest of the night is not as boring as this," Chase joked, in spite of actually feeling this way. "I did not come here just to freeze my butt off and watch you sit in the snow."

"No worries," Tala assured him lightly, scrambling to her feet and scampering past him with a skip, "I am beginning, now."

Oh _ goodie _ .

Chase watched Tala kneel down and dig her hands into the snow. He winced, feeling his own fingers growing numb in his pockets.

"What are you doing now?" he called, watching her make three large snowballs, and place them beside each other, one-by-one.

Tala looked back at him with a playful shrug, and a smile. 

"Think it fun to show how I improvised, since last year," she answered and scooped the three balls into her arms.  

“Improved!” said Chase, folding his arms. “Are you doing that on purpose? I shouldn’t have to keep correcting you. I thought Guan was actually teaching you something.”

Tala didn’t answer, but he noticed that she had visibly tensed. 

The snowballs were large enough for Tala’s face to be blocked by them as she waddled back, careful not to drop them. She placed the snowballs down gently, and took a step back. 

"Watch," said Tala.

Tala stretched out her hands over the three snowballs. They instantly shot up into the air, hovering just beneath her palms. They bobbed as she held them there, her face rigid from concentration.

They sprang forth suddenly, rushing up into the bare branches of the willow, dancing with one another. Tala was the puppeteer, twirling beneath them with her arms spread wide. She slowed, and the earth seemed to still itself right along with her. The snowballs drifted to the ground like feathers, slowly falling.

Chase held his hands out, as one of them made its way to his lap. It was no longer a white ball of snow, but one made out of pure ice. It was so fine and clear, that he could see Tala smiling at him through it when he held it to his face to inspect it. Chase put the ball of ice down beside him, his eyes now focused entirely on her.

Something was different then, as their eyes met. Tala wasn't the same child he had met in this courtyard, a year ago. She no longer seemed afraid to face what her unknown magic could do. The dull grey of her tired eyes had given way to something brighter and happier, even hopeful. 

Tala did not just have power now, she had the confidence to wield it. 

He wanted it.

"You really have changed," he said, awestruck.

"Only just, what is word? Perfect it," Tala chirped, walking over and picking the ice ball up.

Chase nearly corrected her again, but decided that she was close enough, and just smiled. 

Tala sat down beside Chase, twirling the ice between her two middle fingers. It spun with a lazy half turn, before dropping back down. Tala kept playing with it, watching the ball swing, then fall back, after coming so close to spinning fully.

Though she was an amusing sight, he asked, "What else can you do?"

Tala put the ice ball back into Chase’s lap and looked at him, the corner of her mouth turning crooked with a smirk. 

"Think you will ask," she answered. "Let me borrow you."

Tala stood up, and began to clamber over Chase’s shoulders. He started to laugh, until she painfully stepped on the back of his neck.

"Watch the hair, will ya," he grunted. "There are some girls who actually  _ do _ like me for my looks!"

"All because they do not know you, personal," Tala snipped, now standing up on his shoulders.

Chase mimicked her under his breath snidely, though he had to admit that it was a good comeback, for her still-growing vocabulary. 

“You know, I know you hate cardio,” he said, “but maybe Dad really is teaching you something with those extra grammar laps, after all.”

“It is Guan’s help, most,” he heard her say, grunting as she yanked on something. “Master Young only tortures me.”

“Huh,” Chase thought, out loud. “Good word for it.”

“Guan teach,” said Tala.

She stepped on his head after that, apparently trying to reach higher. 

"OW!” Chase cried. “Seriously!  _ What _ are you doing, up there?"

"Stop your heart, baby," Tala snapped, before jumping down behind him. "Need stick. Branches too high."

“Stop my  _ what _ ?” Chase asked, rubbing the sore spot on the back of his head. "And, you  _ couldn't _ just find one on the  _ ground _ ?"

Tala looked at the broken half of the branch in her hand with the smallest trace of regret and confusion. "Oh… right."

"You didn't think this through, did you?" he asked, smiling, in spite of the annoyance still creeping up his neck.

"Yes!" she said. “Only, not much.”

"Lovely."

Tala took a deep breath and held the stick out in front of her, pointed towards him. With a sly smile on her face, she asked, "Are you ready, Chase Young?"

Chase suppressed a yawn. "For what?"

"This!" she shouted. The stick immediately raced toward him, fast as a thrown dagger.

"What the hell are you doing?!" he cried, ducking. 

Chase expected the stick to fly right over his head, but it didn't. Chase looked up to see that stupid sick just inches from his nose, the broken and jagged end of it, no less. Chase glared at the stick, wishing it would burst into flames.

"Pretty noot, huh?" Tala giggled, her arm still outstretched. 

“ _ Neat _ ,” Chase clipped. 

"Have enough Push, to make things do what I want, now,” said Tala.

“Oh…that’s...great,” said Chase, still recovering from watching his life flash before his eyes. 

Tala stood with her legs apart, and lifted her chin proudly into the air, declaring, “I can control Push!"

"I've noticed," Chase answered, flatly.

"A year ago, that would have killed you," she added, with a shrug. "Probably."

"I get your point," he said. "You can put the stick down, now."

Tala swung her arm, causing the stick to hurtle toward the wall. It splintered against the stone and shattered into tiny peices, scattering over the snow.

"Impressive," said Chase with an appreciative smirk. 

Indeed, her tricks were impressive, but he knew that Tala still had something to hide, he could feel it. There  _ had _ to be more.

"Anything else," he said, "oh mighty master of witchcraft?"

" _ Hey! _ ” she said, her hands on her hips. “You want 'learn magic secrets,' right? Why are you picky-ing this?"

"Because it's boring," he lied. "I've seen you do this before. On _ me, _ remember? Try showing me something I haven't seen."

Tala dropped her arms to her side. Her face was open and sad, hurt even.

"That is all," she told him, quietly. "Practice, so not to hurt you, when Grand Master tells whole Temple."

For him? Really? Did Tala honestly think he was that fragile?

"Well, it's good progress, at least," Chase told her with a shrug, disappointment dripping between his shoulders like melting ice.

Fabulous. Studying what she called her ‘Push’ magic would only get him so far. Not that it wasn't interesting, or even that it was not worth studying, but the problem was that there was no way Chase would have been able to apply it to himself without first awakening his _ own _ Dragon magic. He needed something that had to do with the _ elements, _ not object manipulation- at least not yet.

Unless.

"I have an idea," he said, rising to his feet.

Tala looked rather suspicious of him. Folding her arms, she asked, "Yes?"

"I know how you can explore more of your Push magic," he said, smiling " _ and _ improve your fighting skills at the same time. You said we could try applying some martial arts to it, right?"

Tala arched an eyebrow, but other than that, she looked highly unconvinced. “I listen.”

"I can teach you a few moves," said Chase. “It’s just blance and stuff, but it’s also partly meditation, so you can use them while in class, too. No one would have to know you’re practicing magic  _ and  _ martial arts at the same time!"

"Bad idea," said Tala, impassively. 

At first Chase thought Tala wouldn't go for it, but then she smiled. “I am on."

“In,” corrected Chase.

Tala nodded, blushing.

"Copy what I do," Chase told her. He formed a circle with his arms, the palms of his hands facing each other.

Tala followed, awkwardly mirroring him with the opposite position of her arms. Chase waited with a sigh, hoping that his less than subtle cue was more telling that she was wrong than the feeling that should have been in her arms from the strange position. Tala apparently could not feel it, since she stayed in the position. 

Chase gave her a look, refusing to turn away until Tala noticed. Realizing her mistake with a mumbled apology, she quickly switched her hands to the more natural position.

"Okay," he said, loosening his legs, "relax your knees."

Once Tala did as he had instructed, Chase stepped his left leg to the side and shifted his weight, rolling the ball slowly. He paused to watch her attempt, staying in his own position.

She copied him, elegantly. Surprising, since Tala was probably the least coordinated warrior he had ever seen. Her eyes were on him, focused and serious. 

Keeping eye contact with her, and being sure not to move the new position of his hands, Chase shifted his body again, letting the ball follow it. Tala followed, but this was where the smoothness of her mirroring ended. She turned her hands too early, and dropped the invisible ball in confusion.

Chase brought himself out of the stance, aligning himself with the flattening of his down-faced palms, before walking over to join Tala. He gently took one of Tala’s wrists and stood behind her.

"What you do?" she asked.

Chase could feel the air between them still, as her back stiffened.

"It's okay," he soothed, though annoyed by her blatant distrust of him, "just relax. I'm going to show you something. You're way too stiff in the shift of the stance, and it's pushing you out of focus and off balance."

"Oh," she squeaked, letting Chase move her as he wrapped his arm around and took Tala’s other wrist.

"Let your knees be loose," he reminded her. "Don't lock them. That's what will help you with a smoother transition."

"Okay," she said, turning her wrist,  loosely cupped in his hands to face one another. 

Chase could tell that she did not like being his puppet, but he could hardly say that she had the choice, right now. He mirrored her leg positioning, and slowly helped her to form the ball again.

"Now remember what I showed you," he said, quietly. "Roll the ball over slowly.”

Gently, Chase guided her through the motion, simply keeping Tala on track, and letting her do the rest.

"That's it," he encouraged. "Now hold form, and follow through."

Tala did as she was told, letting Chase keep her arms aligned, until she finished the reposition of the circle. Tala looked back at him and smiled that funny grin of hers, giggling and proud of herself. Chase smiled, feeling her contagious happiness.

He let go, and she finished the move, repeating the first step to rest back on the weight of the leg she started from. Chase stepped back to give her space, as Tala realigned herself with a slow breath.

Tala turned to face him.

"Thank you," she said, "Not a good see-learner."

"I've noticed," he teased.

It was strange, but something in him seemed to shift, when he watched her smile drop. Chase wanted to take those words back, which was a thought he wasn’t very used to. His heart skipped with guilt, also something that he was unused to. 

Chase did not know if this feeling was quite embarrassment, but he stuttered from it anyway, "Y-yeah, you're welcome.”

Chase cleared his throat, composing himself smoothly with a fold of his arms and a grin. 

"Are ready to try it on your own, again?" he asked.

"Can try," offered Tala, with an unsure shrug.

Chase gave her the go ahead, with a flick of his hand. Tala began the exercise, fluidly going through the motions. She wasn't perfect, still stiff in her back and legs a bit, but it would do for now.

"Try it again," he instructed, when Tala came to rest, "but this time, add your magic to it."

Tala looked back at him again, worried. She asked with a slight whine, "I-is it right?"

Chase rolled his eyes.

"We won't be able to see what you can do, unless you expand your skills, right?" he asked. "Do you want to control your magic better, or not?"

Tala did not say anything, turning away again. Her back was visibly tense, risen up with her shoulders and rigid arms.

"Relax," Chase warned, with an annoyed drawl. "Don't get stiff. Make sure that you breathe normally. You'll be okay. I'm right here, behind you."

Tala took a deep breath and dropped her shoulders, loosening her back. She began the exercise again. As Tala formed the circle with her hands, Chase could feel a pull. It was as if the wind were blowing at his back, but no breeze touched him.

Chase looked at Tala, something warm within him stirring. He could feel her magic. It was calling to him. He watched with anticipation and awe, as she went through with the position. 

The air around Tala was still. She was in an invisible bubble that Chase could not touch, and the wall of it solidified with every move she made.

"Chase?" Tala called, sounding unsure and _ very _ frightened. She did not turn around, her voice sounding on the verge of panic, “Bad idea! N-not feel right!”

"It's okay, Tala," said Chase, unable to contain the emotion that bubbled up from his chest. It spread across his face with an overwhelming smile, "I'm right here. Keep going."

But the moment those words left his mouth, energy shot forth, invisible and immense. It blasted the wall, hitting the crack dead-center. Tala was blasted backward into Chase. They both hit the ground hard. Instinctively, Chase wrapped his arms around Tala, guarding her head from the tree roots and ground, as they rolled to a stop.

"Are you alright?!" shouted a voice from behind the wall.

It was the eunuch, all limbs and nerves, heaving and puffing from rushing to their aid. He shook visibly from his scare, but was more-or-less unaffected. The eunuch offered his bony hand to Tala, who took it and allowed him to help her stand.

Chase pushed himself up from the ground. 

"Tala!" he shouted. He took Tala's face into his hands, shuddering. "Are you alright? Are you hurt?"

"I am fine," she insisted, though she was crying, "I am fine!"

Brushing some of the hair away from her warm cheeks, Chase studied her face, scanning every detail for signs of injury. Tala was shaking too, and despite a few terrified tears, Tala did not look any more worse for wear than he did. Chase nearly threw up from relief and bent from the weakening in his knees, letting his hands drop to her shoulders.

"Are you alright?" Tala asked, though her words were hardly recognizable.

Chase wanted to laugh. Here he was putting this child in danger, and she was worried about  _ him _ ! Chase began chuckling as tears came to his eyes, too.

He didn't care that the eunuch could see. Chase burst out laughing, tears streaming down his face, and he wrapped Tala into a hug, burying his face into her hair. Chase could not admit just how terrified he was of her being hurt, but at least he could laugh at his stupidity.

"You crazy little witch," he mumbled, holding her tightly. "You scared me half to death."

"You told me to," Tala answered, hugging him back. He could feel her arms shaking against him, a sigh from her releasing a violent shudder.

"You are such a brat," he said back, thankful that Tala could still be sarcastic. "Don't scare me like that anymore, okay?"

"Um," said the eunuch with a squeak, "Honored Ones?"

They broke away to look at him.

The eunuch's face was pale, and he shook with such violence that he hardly looked capable of standing upright on his own, rocking back on his heels. He pointed one of his twig-like fingers toward the wall in front of them. Tala and Chase followed to where it pointed.

The wall's crack was split wide open. Some of the still loose rubble around the crack fell with a wet thud onto the snow. 

Chase’s heart began to pound. So  _ this  _ is what magic could do, when it was properly controlled. He was one step closer to understanding it. To  _ possessing _ it. He looked at Tala. Maybe, if he himself couldn’t have it, then perhaps he could…

"We must go, Honored Ones,” insisted the eunuch with a nervous twitter, interrupting Chase’s swelling thoughts. "There will be no way to explain the noise of the wall falling without blackening the Trainee's name, if we stay here."

Tala let go of Chase, and followed the eunuch as he scurried back toward the open gate.

"Hurry," the eunuch insisted. “We must go and inform Grand Master Wei of this. He will want to hear the news."

"What news?" Chase heard Tala ask, as they got farther away from him.

His eyes were transfixed on the wall, mesmerized by the sheer force of power behind the blast that had fissured it. Chase could still hear their voices, but they were muffled, muted by his lack of attention.

That power had nearly killed him and its own master, both. It was so frightening, horribly terrifying, yet absolutely beautiful. Though he had a near brush of death, Chase was hardly deterred. No, it made him crave Tala’s magic more. He needed to harness that power for himself, and if not-

"Chase,"

The light touch of Tala's hand on his shoulder startled him, and Chase whirled on her with a guilty gasp. 

Tala’s eyes, wide and bright, held confusion and uncertainty. 

"We must go," she told him. "Are you alright?"

It was in the moment that she had fallen, thrown back by her own magic, that Chase realized what he had truly felt about Tala. He was horrified at the thought of losing her, or seeing her in pain. This girl, once a means to an end in his plans for obtaining the power he deserved, had wrapped herself around Chase’s heart.

Chase did not just need Tala's magic to complete him, he needed her friendship, too. And with that friendship, Chase knew -beyond the shadow of a doubt- that he would be able to get everything he ever wanted and deserved. 


	14. Chapter 14

Fourteen_ Blood Bond 

The hills were green, just like her eyes.

Tala was looking at Mama, whose smile perked up her cheeks and crinkled the black markings, folding them like paper. 

With a strange hiss in her voice, Mama asked, " _ Are you ready for some fun? _ "

Tala spoke, but the voice was not her own. It was deeper, older and spiced with excitement, " _ It's time to give what is due _ ."

Tala sounded like her Mama, the one she remembered, but the voice that spoke from Tala's mouth held not a drop of kindness, as if this person had never known that such a word existed.

Tala scanned the army standing before them in countless numbers. Each and every footsoldier held his breath and shook in his armor at the sight of them. It made Tala feel powerful. Not  _ one  _ would dare try to harm her or her mother, not here. Tala had them at her mercy with a single stare. She smiled.

"Witches," called one of the men standing at the helm. 

There were four, each dressed in the colors of yellow, blue, black, and orange. She knew who they were. There was no need for introductions. 

The one who had spoken out, the one in blue, was staring directly at her, when he yelled, "Today is the day that your tyranny ends!"

Tyranny? Ha! Says the 'mighty' Xiaolin Dragons! Such hypocrites!

Tala hated him, she hated _ them _ . Her hands burned with the ache to kill.

Mama took her hand. Startled by the sudden touch, Tala looked at her.

" _ Together _ ?" asked Mama. Her genuine smile was twisted and wrong, made grotesque by the venomous light in her eyes. Murder was written within them.

" _ Together, _ " said Tala.

She turned to the Dragons, and stared right back at the Fire Dragon, matching his glower with a challenging laugh.

"Our tyranny?" she asked, in common tongue, "But, my dear Shoku, what of yours?"

"You have terrorized our people for far too long," he shouted. "It is time for you and your sister to pay for the crimes that you have committed against all of China!"   
  
" _ Shion, _ " said Mama quietly into Tala's ear. " _ We have all four of them here. Now is our chance. _ "

" _ Patience, Wuya, _ " answered Tala, her eyes still upon the Shoku. " _ They will get what they deserve today, I promise _ ."

'Shion,' Tala registered, slowly. That was Mama's name. This dream, she realized hollowly, did not actually belong to her. But..who was Wuya?

The Shoku stepped forward, raring for a fight. The other three Dragons followed, stepping away from the army's front line and into the middle of the field. The wind blew at their backs, and Tala could smell the fear of those weak and cowardly men standing with their flags, swords, and spears. It excited her.

The Dragons, however, were calm. The Shoku especially held his resolve with overbearing confidence. From this distance, she could see his face. He was old, but strong, the harsh lines etching through his forehead, and the white wisp of his thinning hair the only thing that really showed his fragile age.

Tala could nearly taste  his arrogance, from how badly it stank. It was a heavy perfume that sickened her, sucking the fun out of watching his so-called soldiers squirm. She wondered how many of her sisters died, because of him. 

Other than that, there was nothing really worth noting. Seeing through Mama's eyes, all of the humans looked the same to Tala: weak and miserable. If the Dragons were not wearing their respective colors, she would not have known one from the other, even if the Shoku's smell had not already given him away.

" _ Wuya _ ," said Tala, squeezing the other witch’s hand. " _ Prepare yourself. We will have to be quick, for this to work. _ "

Wuya smiled and squeezed back before releasing her hand and stepping in front of Tala to address the four Dragons, her voice rasping with anger.

"Today is the day that  _ your  _ tyranny will end," she warned them, "No more will you hunt us down! We are taking back what belongs to us!"

"We have heaven on our side," said the Shoku. "The power of hope within us will never be defeated by the darkness inside of  _ your _ guideless hearts."

"Please," said Tala. “We have the blood of our sisters on our side, and that is all we need to destroy the Xiaolin Dragons,  _ and _ your precious Xiaolin Temple."

She thrusted her palms out, and a circle of black magic surrounded them. The four men were trapped, back-to-back. 

" _ Now, Wuya _ !" she shouted, lifting her hands to build up the wall of the circle, shimmering with glamour.

Wuya immediately stretched out her hands, and began chanting; " _ The power of Fire be released from you, the power of Earth be released from you, _ "

" _ The power of Water be released from you _ ," said Tala, " _ the power of Wind be released from you. _ "

Their voices blended as one, each chanting as the magic barrier shimmered, dancing faster and faster as their words picked up speed. Magic blasted through the barrier and hit them, nearly knocking Tala off balance. Wuya, too, seemed to be struggling to stay standing on her feet by the sheer force of energy plowing into them.

" _ Hold your ground _ !" shouted Tala above the swell. " _ We must finish this _ !"

She turned back to the men trapped within the wall of her spell, all screaming and pounding at her barrier in vain. They could not escape.

"Stop screaming," she yelled at them. "We shall show no mercy, the same as you, when my sisters screamed in the fires you burned them with! You deserve a fate far worse than this!  _ The power of Water be released from you! The power of Wind be released from you! _ "

Wuya chimed in, adding her own chanting, " _ The power of Fire be released from you! The power of Earth be released from you! _ "

" _ The power of Water come into me _ ," said Tala, sucking the power in through her fingertips. " _ The power of Wind come into me! _ "

Wuya did the same, " _ The power of Fire come into me. The power of Earth come into me! _ "

They continued their chanting until all of the energy was gone. The Dragon's powers were theirs. The Xiaolin would never misuse this magic against clan nor witch ever again.

Tala stood there, the warm magic still tingling up her arms as it slowly cooled. The men dropped to their knees. The barrier dissipated. 

Tala strode forward to address the crowd, all still neatly lined in their rows. Such silly little dolls, they were. Their lack of common sense to run and preserve their own skins made Tala want to laugh.

"My enemies," she called, “today is the day that the age of the Xiaolin Dragon Cycle ends."

She gestured to the men behind her with a sweep of her open palm.

"These men you see before you," she told them, "are no longer your protectors. The creatures that they had once hunted have rendered them helpless, and now they are at our mercy. Flee now, and save your own lives, or stay and die with them."

Turning her back on the army, she added darkly, "That is your choice."

"What did you do to us?" asked the Earth Dragon, shaking as he tried to lift himself by his arms.

Tala looked down at him, frowning. 

"Spared your lives," she said, "sadly."

"We've taken your magic, fool," gloated Wuya, with a sharp laugh.

"That is correct," agreed Tala, "and now the Xiaolin Dragons will die, and their line will end."

"That is a lie!" said the Shoku, picking himself up, though doing a fairly poor job at it. "We will go on so long as there is evil to defeat, such as you!"

He rose, holding his ribs. "The Cycle of the Dragons will not end until the cruelty of the Heylin does," he vowed, "Magic or no magic, good will always triumph over evil!"

"Are you sure about that?"  asked Tala. 

With a grin aimed toward Wuya, she said. " _ Would you care to do the honors? _ "

" _ Gladly, _ " Wuya answered. 

The ground shook, as Wuya held her hands outstretched. "Time to see what my new powers can do!"

From the earth climbed up creatures made of stone, each one larger than the next, rising from all over the valley like spirits from their graves. Soldiers were thrown from where they stood as the beasts clawed themselves out of the ground, rising to the sky like pillars. The men began to scatter, screaming in terror. Pathetic little ants, the lot of them.

Tala looked back to Wuya. 

" _ Kill them all, _ " she ordered.

Wuya smiled. " _ With pleasure _ ."

Tala bolted upright, when she was shaken roughly by someone. She grabbed onto the person's arm and yanked them close, intending to throw her attacker, but a voice cried out, "Wait, stop! It's me!"

Tala's eyes adjusted to the dim candlelight in the far corner. 

" _ Ui, _ Jia?" she asked, her friend's face coming into focus. 

She sat up, and Jia leaned back to give Tala space.

"Why are you in my room?” she asked,  “Chase is where?"

"I was ordered to wake you," she said. "Grand Master Wei is gathering everyone in the main courtyard. There has been an attack."

"Attack?" asked Tala, her heart pounding.

“It means-”

“Know it means!” said Tala, red-faced. “ _ Why _ is there attack?”

"It is better if you hear from the Grand Master rather than me," Jia answered. "I do not know all of the details."

She stood, and Tala rose with her. 

"You should get dressed," suggested Jia, rushing to the other side of the room. "I'll get your slippers."

Tala said nothing, still disturbed by her strange dream. She slipped into her robes and tied her belt, thinking about what had happened.

Tala had seen through Mama's eyes, but Mama would never act so cruelly! And those emotions she had felt with it… the pleasure of hearing those men cry in agony made Tala shudder. That could not have been Mama. It was just another horrible dream, it  _ had  _ to be! Just like all the rest.

Doubt settled in snugly at the base of her heart, as Tala braided her hair. That other woman she had mistaken for Mama before, who was she? Wuya was her name, Tala remembered, which she would have simply brushed aside, if not for the fact that she had been dreaming and having visions for months about her.

Oh, what was she thinking! This Wuya was only a figment of her nightmares! She was a phantom, a mouthpiece for Tala's fears. This dream woman was  _ nothing _ !

“Tala,” said Jia, hesitantly touching Tala’s shoulder. “Are you okay?”

Tala glared at herself in the mirror glass, willing her heart to calm down and for her head to take control of itself.

" _ Cukuchi _ ," she said. Then corrected herself, " _ Ui _ , I am alright. Only night-scare."

"Tala," said Jia, "we should leave quickly."

Tala looked at her, exhausted and afraid. Jia's mouth dipped into a frown. Her eyebrows furrowed with worry. 

"Are you alright?" she asked.

"No," admitted Tala.

* * *

  
  
Tala snuck in, small enough to go unnoticed, as she took her place beside Dashi and Chase. Guan was behind her, tall enough to see over the others' heads. The courtyard was packed like an overstuffed drawer. People were huddled together in each direction, squeezing in to hear the Grand Master's address to them. A hush fell over the crowd when he lifted his hands to silence their murmuring.

"I have grave news," he told them. The Grand Master's voice shook like the skeleton leaves rattling against the cold wind in the trees above."I have heard reports from the monasteries in the Northern mountains. A witch has begun making her way toward the Xiaolin Temple."

A collective gasp rippled through the crowd. Harsh whispers of fear crescendoed into the air, like a flock of birds suddenly in a panic. Tala tensed, the heat within her hands rising up to her neck like the hackles of a startled cat.

She instinctively took a half-step back and accidentally bumped into Guan. A gasp bubbled out of Tala, as she looked up to see his worried face towering above her.

"Are you alright?" Guan asked, but Tala was silent, swallowing the rawness of the cold grinding against the back of her mouth.

Tala righted herself and began wringing the hem of her robe, focusing on nothing but her inner thoughts. Tala's vision blurred, as she realized that her dreams of witches and magic might  _ not _ have been just dreams. But that was silly, wasn't it?

She jumped, when a warm hand took one of hers. Chase squeezed it lightly, though he was looking at Grand Master Wei, and nothing on his face indicated that he had even acknowledged her distress. Still, the heavy weight on her palm was a comfort, which Tala took, gladly. She squeezed back, and he let go.

"There is no need for us to panic," assured the Grand Master, boldly. "We have nothing to fear from this monster!"

He swept an arm, gesturing toward the Xiaolin Apprentices and Tala. His golden winter robes shimmered under the moonlight, when he said, "The Elemental Cycle has been completed! The Xiaolin Dragons are more powerful than they have been, in over three centuries! They will protect us, and we shall not fall under the weight of Heylin tyranny!"

Chase stepped forward, and joined the Grand Master at his side. His back was rigid when he also addressed the crowd.

With a fist held high in the air, he spoke. "Do not worry, we will not fail you. My fellow Apprentices and I have the favor of heaven. As the Grand Master says, the Cycle is now whole. United, we are strong. This witch will stand no chance against us!"

The crowd cheered with him, though the veil of uncertainty still clung to the air around the courtyard. Tala could feel it circling like a predator, slowly weaving its way between each person as a snake glides across the earth.

The cold wind licked at the back of her neck, sending a chill up Tala's spine. Heat prickled in her hands at the surprise, but the magic's defensiveness did not fade as the wind died down again. Instead, it intensified. Tala felt the weight of eyes upon her shoulders. She brushed it off, knowing that she and the other Dragon apprentices were at the center of the crowd's attention.

* * *

 

As the Fire monk addressed the crowd, all bravado, and awashed in the adoration of those sniveling cowards, Wuya watched from the shadows of the rooftop. She took refuge beneath one of the small watch towers, hiding behind the glare of the torch bowl's flame as it lit up the courtyard below.

Wuya crouched, eyes focused on the four children, whose blood she would soon be bathing in. The Xiaolin apprentices, ha! Pigs, the lot of them, no more fit to protect the world than those maids cowering around them in the cold.

Of course, she had not come to destroy them just yet. Not tonight. No, Wuya was here to find someone else.

Wuya’s fingers curled around the pendant, warming the cool metal with her touch. The pointed sides dug into her palm, reminding her to stay patient. Shion's death would not be in vain.

Wuya let her other hand linger over the torch bowl as she watched the Apprentices huddle together. Her palm caressed the fire, idly. Instead of burning her, the flames around Wuya’s hand glowed green. They danced between her fingers affectionately, an old friend. Her lips curled into a smile, when she spotted her target. 

Dressed in the yellow robes of the Wind Monk, and small enough to almost be left unnoticed, was Tala. Even though she was hiding in the guise of a human, and her hair passably black and tamed into braids, Wuya could see so much of Shion in her. She even shared the little mole her sister had underneath her left eye. Wuya chucked. Despite her attempts to hide, there was the blood of a true witch lying beneath the surface of the girl's silly human costume.

" _ There you are, _ " she whispered. " _ I have been looking  _ _ everywhere _ _ for you. _ "

Now would be Wuya’s chance, if any, to finish what her sister had started. With Tala at her side, and with the skills Wuya would teach her, the pair would be unstoppable. They would destroy the Scroll of Ages, and The Xiaolin Dragons' line would end permanently.

"You don't have to worry anymore, Tala," she said. "Auntie's here."

  
  



	15. Chapter 15

Fifteen_ Wuya

A hand slapped over Tala's mouth, startling her awake.

Instantly reacting, Tala’s magic tossed the attacker away. They sprang back upon her, in a flash. Like ropes, the assailant's fingers wrapped themselves around Tala's wrists, pinning them above her head.

Tala kicked their stomach, but whomever it was grappling with her in the dark did not even flinch. They grunted painfully, a winded voice saying, " _Enough_."

"Get off of me," Tala hissed, but her attacker pressed their weight more firmly against her.

" _Listen to me_ ," they insisted, with a harsh whisper, " _I'm trying to tell you something_!"

“ _Ghost_!” Tala hissed angrily, at the sound of Wupoyisho.

She hooked her legs around the towering figure, shifting all of her body weight to flip them. Straddling her attacker, Tala went for a punch, but she was too slow. The other person blocked it and flipped Tala over again, this time keeping her down with their knees. The air rushed out of Tala's stomach as they leaned down, focusing the full weight on her abdomen.

Tala's hands were once again above her head, and the more she struggled, the harder it was to breathe. This person, whoever it was, knew it. With a calloused chuckle close to Tala's ear, they said in hissing Wupoyisho, " _Well, now Tala, since I've_ _finally_ _got your attention, I have a message for you_."

Tala gasped for air, fighting for breath and freedom. This was it. The ghost had found her, and would finally kill her!

" _Calm down_ ," snapped the attacker. " _You're going to pass out, if you don't conserve your energy_."

With a growl, Tala stopped moving.

The hands holding her wrists shifted, until only one clamped them together, firmly. The other, now free, stroked Tala's cheek lightly with its knuckles.

" _Try to relax_ ," the voice instructed. " _Tensing wastes energy, too. We also don't want your magic to build up too fast. You won't be able to control it, and we don't want anybody to get hurt, now do we?_ "

Tala turned her face away from the touch, as if the hand had slapped her.

" _Oooh,_ " cooed the voice with hissing glee. " _Someone already has, haven't they? A friend? A lover, perhaps? No, you're a bit still too young for_ _that_ _.Poor thing. No boys have taken notice of you, have they?_ "

Tala thought of Jia, and bit the inside of her cheek. Tears rushed to her eyes at the thought of not seeing her again. This ghost was too strong to throw off, and and she feared that her death was near, now that it had finally found her. Tala shifted her shoulders, swallowing her anger. She refused to give her attacker the satisfaction of a response.

" _Hit a nerve, did I?_ " snapped the feminine voice. " _Don't worry, I know you couldn't possibly have killed anyone. You're still too soft to have seen your first blood. But with a little guidance that problem can be fixed, I assure you. You'll look a little older too, I'd bet. Death matures us, you know. You're pretty enough. In no time, you could become irresistible._ "

" _You talk too much_ ," spat Tala. She whipped her head back to bite the fingers, which just narrowly avoided her teeth. Quicker than she was, the hand covered Tala's mouth again, as hard and cold as steel.

“ _Oh good, so you_ _do_ _speak_ ,” the faceless ghost hissed. “ _I was almost afraid that you couldn’t understand me.. But the time for idle chit-chat ends now. Like I said, I have a message for you_."

The hand lifted from her mouth, and with the snap of fingers, green flames flashed. Gazing down at her under the fire's' flickering glow, was the face from Tala's nightmares.

Tala could not tell the eye color, since it matched the color of the flames, but the twisted smile and black markings fanning out from beneath the woman's eyes were identical to the phantom she had come to know as Wuya.

Tala's pulse quickened, as her hands began to burn. They itched, while she fought the panic rising through her chest. The woman chided Tala with a click of her tongue.

"Now, now," she said, this time with common words. "Don't be frightened, Tala. I'm only here to help you."

She blew the fire from her fingers and the room, once again, became pitch black. Tala heard the snap of fingers again, as the candle beside her head was lit. The green flame fizzled down into the familiar yellow glow as the witch picked the candlestick up and held it in her hand.

The room began to magically fill with soft grey light, as if the dawn were rising. Though the candle did not brighten the room completely, Tala could make out the dark shade of red in the woman's hair. However, her eyes were shaded too darkly against her already dark skin, muddied by the twilight grey. The woman let go of the candle, and it floated beside her head, bobbing lazily.

The witch sat up, leaning just enough away to let Tala breathe.

Catching her breath with the much missed air, Tala choked out, "Wuya."

"Tala," answered the witch, flatly.

" _Who_ _are_ _you_?" Tala hissed.

" _You already answered that one,"_ said Wuya. " _Are you thick in the head, or what?_ "

" _No,_ " said Tala, quick to her own defense. " _I mean,_ _who_ _are you? Why have you been in my dreams? Why are you attacking me?_ "

Wuya rolled her eyes and folded her arms. Pursing her lips, she said, " _I'm guessing Shion never told you about me. Typical_."

With a dismissive flip of her hair, Wuya sighed. “ _Your mother was always jealous of me_.”

Tala stayed silent, glaring at the witch. She needed to to think of a way to catch her off guard, and attack.

" _Well, judging by those dreams you mentioned,_ " continued Wuya, _"it looks like my signals have been getting to you_."

" _Your 'signals' have been giving me nightmares for the past year and a half,_ " snapped Tala. Her hands burned, as her anger rose. "J _ust what do you want?_ "

" _Your voice is really annoying,_ " sneered the witch, " _did you know that?"_

" _And your vague dancing around is really annoying!_ " Tala shot back.

" _If you'd just shut up for a minute_ ," Wuya told her, " _I'd be able to tell you. And so that you know I mean business, I’ll tell you in the language of these humans you love so much."_

Tala bit her tongue, sucking in a deep breath to steady herself. She needed to stay calm, in order to think of a plan.

" _You keep talking about a message_ ," said Tala. " _What is it_?"

"Finally, some real sense," groaned Wuya, making good on her promise to speak in common words. "Sit up."

Wuya unhooked something from around her neck and pulled a palm-sized pendant from beneath her dress, tugging it gingery out from her high collar. Tala wriggled from underneath Wuya, and folded her legs together, watching the witch warily.

Wuya handed the pendant to Tala. It was heavy, and was far larger in her hands. A ruby was cut into the middle of it, shining oddly under the ashy light. The iron around the gem was shaped into three crescents on the east, west, and southern points, suspended by rods against the plate holding the ruby. It was a strange shape that, though she could not place exactly why, reminded Tala of an eye. She turned it, the flash of the ruby under the gaze of the floating candle winking at her.

"That was your mother's," said Wuya, "The symbol of the Mountain Clan. _Our_ clan."

Tala's glaring eyes flickered to Wuya. Cautiously, she said, " _Mama told me night stories about the Mountain Clan sometimes, but she never mentioned this_."

"She hid it from you, then," answered Wuya. She did not look to happy about that. "She and I were the daughters of the Matriarch. As our mother's heir, the symbol was passed down to Shion."

" _Why do you have it, then_?" asked Tala.

"Because your mother gave it to me," Wuya snapped back, her own glower flaring the familiar and frightening green, before dying back down. “She had asked me to take her place. Me, when there was nothing left to take the place of!"

" _So you decided to find me_ ," Tala concluded, angrily, " _to give me the place, instead_?"

"What? No, no, no, that's not it, at all," said Wuya, breaking her serious character with a wave of her hands. "I came to find you, to show you what your mother had really intended for you, as her daughter."

" _And that would be_?"

Wuya's face contorted into a feral smile, much like the one in Tala's dream. With a chuckle, she said, in Wupoyisho, " _To dismantle the Order Of the Xiaolin Dragons_."

Tala sat back, her shock a little more than feigned. She hardly believed what Wuya had said, but even so, Tala could taste bitterness on her tongue from the venomous way the witch had spat out her words.

" _You know I'm right, Tala_ ," said Wuya.

" _No_ ," said Tala flatly, squinting her skepticism, " _you're not_."

" _Pardon_?" hissed Wuya through her pointed teeth, raising an eyebrow by her own disbelief.

" _Do you see these robes_?” Tala asked, pulling at her belt. “ _I’ve been chosen as the next Wind Dragon. I can’t_ _dismantle_ _them, I’m o_ _ne_ _of them_!”

Tala sulked into her palms _. “Whether I want to be, or not_.”

Wuya narrowed her eyes. “ _That doesn’t_ -”

“ _Besides_ ,” said Tala, " _my mother would_ _never_ _hurt anyone_. _Mama had no quarrel with humans. My Papa is human! She never told me anything about the Xiaolin in her stories, not once!_ "

" _You didn't really know Shion, then_ ," said Wuya. " _She was your mother, but she wasn’t some saint. You know she killed those children, deep down, I know you do. Put those fairy tales she told you aside for a second, and listen to your head._ "

Tala bit the inside of her cheek, her face hot with anger. It took all of her restraint not to lunge for Wuya, right then.

“ _Mama didn’t_ _do_ _anything_ ,” Tala insisted. “T _he villagers were just…_ ”

Tala didn’t really know what ‘the villagers were just-’ but she knew that her mother never left their hut, the night those boys disappeared. She had been awake all night, awoken from a nightmare about Meilin. The memory dropped a clump of ice from Tala’s throat, into her stomach.

Wuya, apparently, took her uncomfortable silence as doubt.

" _Shion had her ways,_ " said Wuya, smirking. " _My sister was a powerful witch. Not as powerful as me, mind you, but still, Shion_ _always knew_ _how to be resourceful. She did what she had to, to get her revenge. I_ _know_ _you know that._ "

" _I don't believe you_!" said Tala, " _The Mama I knew didn’t even have magic! Besides, how can I trust anything you say, when my mother never breathed one word about you? How can I be so sure that what you say is true? Any of it, even?_ "

" _I knew about you, didn't I_?"

Wuya's confident smile, cocky and cheery, unnerved Tala. Wuya leaned back, shaking with a deep chuckle. Tala wondered if she was savoring the build up, watching her squirm.

After the long, painful seconds of silence, the witch said, " _As Shion died, she sent her memories to me. All were of you: Your birth, your sister's death, the year you spent wandering around aimlessly without her, your father begging Shion not to go out after those boys! Oh, it was all so sad, really_."

Tala froze.

No one but she and Papa knew about what had really made Meilin sick. Tala could still remember how cold Meilin's skin was from the ice water dripping from her hair and down her back. Tala’s hands shook at the memory of how blue Meilin's lips were. No matter how hard she tried, how tightly she held her sister, Tala could not get Meilin warm enough to stop shivering.

Tala raged with the memory, her hands burning in contrast to the hollow coldness in her chest.

So _that_ was what had happened to Mama. Tala had always been confused as to why Papa had warned her not to tell Mama what had really happened, that Meilin had not just slipped into the river while they were playing. She understood why now, if what Wuya said was the truth.

Papa must have told Mama why Meilin could not stop coughing. The year of silence had gotten to him, and Mama…

" _You're lying_!" Tala cried, not wanting to believe. " _I never saw Mama leave! She never left the mat that night, she didn't! How could she hurt anyone?!_ "

Wuya's smirk widened, showing her horrible fangs.

" _That's because she didn't want you to_ ," she gloated. “ _Even without magic, Shion was always good at sneaking around._ ”

Tala could not breathe. She clutched at her stomach.

" _No, you're lying_!" she whispered, eyes hazing with heat from tears still yet to form, " _Mama didn't, she couldn't have_!"

Tala crumpled. Fear, anger, and despair rushed into her stomach all at once, and Tala had to swallow down the bile that heaved up into her throat. She coughed from the harshness, still burning through her chest, as she cried and cried.

" _I hate you_ ," she whimpered through her panicking, " _I hate you_!"

" _It doesn't matter if you hate me_ ," said Wuya. " _You don't even have to trust me_."

She began rubbing Tala's back lightly, the warmth of her hand calming down whatever protests still jabbed at Tala's stomach. Tala did not bother shaking her off.

" _What I need you to do is exactly as I say_ ," cooed Wuya. " _What you need to do is avenge your mother, and take down everything the Xiaolin has built_."

" _Avenge_?" Tala nearly laughed, appalled. “ _You’re too late_ ! _I’m a Xiaolin monk, now! You're asking me to betray the people who welcomed me in, and taught me so many things_!”

"T _hen, you won’t fulfill your poor Mama’s dying wish?_ " sang Wuya. “ _Fine, then have it your way. I’ll do it myself, starting with your little long-haired friend, and pin it all on you. You’ll be begging me to help you, then._ ”

“ _Don’t you touch my friends_!” Tala hissed, heat itching her palms.

She cried out with surprise, when blue sparks crackled like fireworks in her hands. The sparks manifested and disappeared within the same breath.

Wuya smiled, cruelly.

“ _Good girl_ ,” she said. “ _You’re further along than I’d hoped. Now, listen. I'm the one who is supposed to help you fulfill your destiny_.”

“ _To become a Xiaolin Dragon_?” Tala asked skeptically, looking up from her palms.

“ _No, fool_ ,” snapped Wuya, “ _Haven’t you listened to a word I’ve said? To_ _dismantle_ _their Order! To destroy the Scroll of Ages, and the line of the Xiaolin Dragons, altogether! It’s why I’ve spent so much time trying to find you. And, what luck! You’re already on the inside! The stars are aligning in my- I mean_ _our_ _\- favor!_ "

Tala glared at Wuya from beneath the curtain of her black hair.

"No," she snapped, in common tongue, "Will not waste time on you. Wait for Papa to come back to me, that is all."

Wuya’s face scrunched up into a disgusted sneer. “What?”

Tala sighed.

“ _I_ _said_ _that I’m not going to do anything to jeopardize what I have here, until Papa comes back for me_ ,” she said. “ _I may not be the best monk, but they’ve kept me safe. I don’t intend on becoming a Xiaolin Dragon, but I won’t help_ _you_ _, either._ ”

“ _That wasn’t even close_ ,” said Wuya, looking a bit bored. “ _Just stick to our words. I can already just_ _barely_ _understand you,_   _with that weird accent._ ”

“ _I don’t care_ ,” said Tala, “ _Papa told me to learn, so I’m learning. I want him to be proud of me, when we see each other again_.”

The way Wuya smiled, when Tala mentioned Papa, set Tala’s nerves on fire, her whole body tingling with dread.

" _You'll be taking that back, once you realize what I'm offering,_ " said Wuya, with a shrug. " _You still can't keep a good grip on your magic, right?_ "

Tala set her jaw.

" _I'll take that as a yes_ ," said Wuya.

One more second of that arrogant smile, and Tala would rip it off of her. Her hands burned, agreeing with the intent, and more than happy to oblige. She could feel them almost spark again, but they surprisingly didn’t.

" _Don’t you want to control your powers_?" asked Wuya, slyly. " _If I had found you earlier, you would not have had to live in fear of yourself for this long. Honestly, I'd blame your father for that one, if I were you_."

The sparks were back, lighting the room with a flash of blue when Tala shouted, " _Don't you bring my Papa into this!"_

" _He's the one that dumped you among your kind's worst enemy_ ," said Wuya, " _not me._ "

_"Papa was protecting me!"_

_"Carel knew this was the Xiaolin Temple, and yet he left you here, anyway_ ," snapped Wuya. _“I can’t believe you're still waiting for that coward!”_

 _"He didn't have a choice,_ " Tala hissed. “ _He’ll come back, once winter ends!”_

_“Like how winter came and went last year, and there was no sign of him?”_

“ _He will!”_

 _“He won’t,_ ” Wuya clipped.

Tears pricked the corners of Tala’s eyes. _“How would you know?!”_

 _“You’re still here,”_ said Wuya. _“You just told me that  the reason you’re pretending to eat up this Xiaolin monk harmony crap is just to bide your time until he picks you up, right?”_

Tala fiddled with the pendant in her lap, biting her lip with a suppressed growl.

“ _He’ll come,”_ she insisted. _“Papa would never just leave me.”_

 _"Believe what you want,"_ dismissed Wuya, with her own grow _l. "The past is the past, anyway. Right now, you need to focus on the future, and from what I see, yours is going to involve a burning stake, if you just keep sliding by like you have, hoping your magic doesn't slip up and kill somebody."_

" _I've kept it from killing_ _you_ _so far, haven't I_?" Tala challenged, balling her fists. The heat flared, egging her on.

" _Woah, ho, ho_!" laughed Wuya, " _Slow your roll there, kid! I can hardly understand you! Seriously, did you just happen pick up on Carel's accent naturally, or did you have to actually work at it, for you to sound like that? Shion should have paid more attention to how you form your words_.”

“ _I speak_ _his_ _words, too_ ,” Tala snarled, “ _Wanna listen_?”

“ _No_.”

“Tá mo mháthair níos fearr ná tú i ngach slí.”

“ _Gross_.”

Tala rolled her eyes. Folding her arms, she said, " _It doesn't matter how I sound, to you. You will not be hearing my voice again after tonight, anyway_."

Wuya's smile twisted into a sneer. " _You're dead set on that, aren't you_?"

" _I don't care what you have to offer me_ ," vowed Tala. " _I don't want it_. _And I won’t destroy that stupid scroll everybody cares so much about, either._ "

Wuya harrumphed, and looked a bit defeated. Turning her back, she said, " _Well, I suppose I should just give up, then._ "

Tala knew that was a lie. This was far from over, whether she liked it or not.

" _I guess you're just going to have to manage your unlimited power on your own_ ," said Wuya, feigning deep concern. " _Never mind that I'm trying to help._ "

" _Just get out,_ " muttered Tala.

Wuya turned back to her, now smiling cheerfully.

" _Oh well, I tried,_ " she said, a little too quickly, " _but do me a favor and think about it, won't you_?"

She stood and Tala stood with her, refusing to give Wuya an advantage.

Tala tossed her the pendant saying, " _Here, you can have this back_."

Wuya tossed it back.

" _Keep it_ ," she said. " _It's yours. Think of it as a gift_."

" _I already said that I want nothing from you_ ," Tala snarled.

" _A gift from your mother,_ " corrected Wuya, with a startlingly serious flick of her green eyes.

Not knowing how to respond, Tala stood silently, looking down at the pendant in her hand.

" _Look, kid,_ " said Wuya. Tala looked up at her. Both Wuya's face and voice were solemn, " _I'll be back in a couple of days for your answer. If you still don't want to at least_ _try_ _training with me by then, I'll leave you alone_. _Really_ _alone._ ”

The thinly veiled threat didn’t scare Tala. It just made her angrier. She knew that Wuya could see it on her face, when she smirked at Tala, knowingly.

" _Fine_ ," said Tala, “ _but you already know my answer. I don’t want any part in your schemes._ ”

Wuya sighed, singing, “ _You’ll see~_ ”

Wuya jumped up onto the windowsill, crouching like a cat, one arm leaning against the frame to hold her steady.

Looking back at Tala, she said, " _Don't get caught_ ," and jumped.

The candle that had been floating dropped and went out, leaving Tala alone in the darkness again. She sat in the silence, staring blankly out of the window.

At the edge of the darkness that flooded all of her senses, such a heavy dark that it was hard to know if she herself was even real, images of Meilin danced in flashes of light. They flared like fireflies, blinking in the dark. Tala actually had forgotten what her sister had looked like. She could see Meilin’s red hair and pale skin, but her face was a blur. Realizing that made Tala feel sick.

She missed the way how Meilin always got red in the summer, and Tala remembered poking at her as a little girl, watching her skin go yellow, then fade back to red, after a long day under the sun. She’d make a game of it, tormenting poor Meilin by pinching at her bare shoulders, when they played near the river in the summer months.

Meilin would look twice as pale, in winter. Tala wondered if there could have been some magic in her too, the way her veins showed on her arms so bright and so blue, like rivers joining and flowing together. She had often wished that she could change like that too, instead of staying brown year-round.

Meilin was twelve, the age Tala was now, when she had died from winter fever. However, the truth was that Meilin had been murdered, though the death had come slowly and painfully.

Tala had tried so hard to forget, the past couple of years, but since speaking with Wuya, the memory came rushing back with a vengeance: _They had been playing by the riverbank just beyond the rice fields, on one dull winter morning. It was the only place the girls were allowed to go to on their own; it was secluded there, and Mama said that it was safer than the dusty roads where the other children played. She never told them why._

_Tala loved sliding along the thickened ice of the river, much against Meilin's protesting. She always loved teasing Meilin, running just out of her reach, whenever she tried to pull Tala away from her fun. Tala was adventurous, and became especially vindictive when Meilin scolded her for going too far from home._

_Her game that morning was the same. The snow had freshly fallen on the ground, when Tala decided to run as fast as she could, to kick up the powder. She’d made up a story about it, pretending that she were a great ice phoenix, and the snow she sprayed was her wings. Melin started to get angry with her, so Tala decided to run away from her sister, screeching and laughing, when Meilin tried to box her ears for hitting her with snow. Meilin chased after her into the forest, her anger melting into laughter, as well._

_The ground was packed with snow, so thick that the children's legs sunk down into it when they clambered over the hill. Papa had been chopping wood for heat nearby, and the girls had gone to play at the riverbank, to stay out of his way without straying too far. They should never have left his sight, but Tala had wandered off much farther than she should have, teasing Meilin by pretending to be deaf to her reprimands._

_Despite Meilin calling for her, Tala continued her exploring, pretending to be oblivious, just to spite Meilin, and asked if the wind was calling her the louder her sister’s shouting became._

Tala squeezed her eyes shut against the memory, but it refused to fade. She choked up, hating herself. Perhaps, if she hadn’t caused Meilin to shout so, they wouldn’t have been heard, and Meilin would still be alive. _Mama_ would still be alive.

_Tala could still see the footprints, trailing from the riverbank behind her, in the thin layer of white over the ice. She remembered, clearly, the utter fear on Meilin’s face when she looked back at her sister, ordering Tala not to move. The forest behind them was dead silent, so when Tala heard the laughter of those boys, echoing through the bare branches, it sounded like a chorus of wolves._

_Meilin spotted them before Tala could turn her head toward the sound, and rushed onto the river. She lost her balance, but grabbed Tala's arm and yanked her back with such a force, that Tala slipped, and slid half-way back to the other side._

_Tala clung to a branch rising from the ice. She barely looked up in time to see Meilin staring down four elder boys. They were yelling slurs at her, calling her 'fire head,' 'round eyes,' and 'witch,' as Meilin screamed at them to leave her and Tala alone, throwing snow at them. Meilin ordered Tala to go, to find Papa. That’s when Tala ran._

_Tala remembered running, screaming and crying so desperately for Papa, that her voice had become her enemy. It choked her when she found him, but he didn’t need to hear her words clearly to understand. Papa ran to help Meilin, taking his axe. He had told her to stay by the cart, but Tala was too scared to be alone._

_They came to the riverbank, and saw that Meilin had fallen through thin ice. Every time she tried to pull herself out, the boys pushed her back down again, taking turns and laughing as she cried, gasping for air each time. Papa chased them away with his hollering voice and swinging axe, but Meilin had already stopped moving, when he pulled her from the water._

_Papa bundled her up in his cloak as Tala helplessly watched him pick her up into his arms, crying. The only other thing she could remember as vividly as the rest was Meilin's own crying when she began to breathe again, asking for Mama. Tala slept close to her that night, feeling her skin, still so cold, as if she had carried the river itself underneath her skin, shiver against her._

_Then, the coughing started._

_It began, a fortnight later. The fever came soon after, and by the end of winter, Meilin had passed on._

_Papa swore Tala to secrecy. Mama was to never know what had happened. They told Mama a different story, one of Meilin slipping through thin ice as she and Tala played, to explain why she had come home so cold, weak, and shivering, with her hair and clothes sodden down with ice and snow._

_Tala stopped being adventurous, after that. She stopped climbing trees, and sliding on the icy river. She never played, not even when Papa sang his strange songs, or when Mama took her hands to dance. Never again, not without her sister._

Tala felt the hot tears roll down her chin. She had buried those memories for too long, trying to forget. Meilin deserved more than that.  Tala lay down on her mat, curling into herself. She shivered, when she pulled the blanket over her shoulder. As she drifted to sleep, the last image that flashed across Tala's mind was Meilin curled up beside her, shivering too.


	16. Chapter 16

Sixteen_ A Promise Made of Smoke   
  
Tala suppressed a yawn. The cold was all that was keeping her awake. She was exhausted, thanks to that horrid old hag. Tala blinked, trying to keep her eyes focused on Grand Master Wei as he drank his tea. He sat opposite of her, looking much like a peacock in his colorful winter robes, simmering blue and green against the white snow behind him.

Tala and Chase had not met the Grand Master in his quarters, as they had assumed they would. Instead, Grand Master Wei asked for them to come to the Dragons' Garden in order to discuss what had happened the night before. The three of them sat under the ornate pavilion, their only shelter from the lightly falling snow gathering among the boulders and leafless shrubs that littered the grounds.

Grand Master Wei's ever vigilant eunuch stood to the side behind him, fanning the outdoor cooking pot that was warming several small loaves of bread. His eyes darted from his work to Tala, wide and worried. She looked away from the eunuch, her eyes matching the same roundness of his, when the Grand Master began to speak.

"So," he said, voice grave, "all you've managed to do, after a  _ year _ of training, is to turn an old wall crack into an even larger one."

Chase stiffened beside Tala, but both remained silent. Tala wrung her hands out of habit, though her magic did not burn her, this time.

"The two of you are lucky," continued Grand Master Wei, sternly, "that I was able to cover up that noise you made, so easily."

He placed his tea down and snapped his fingers. The eunuch quickly handed him a plate with one of the heated rolls, still steaming, with shaking hands. The Grand Master cut through the bun, the heat within it escaping into the air as fog, and he said, "A storm was approaching from the south. Nothing to worry about, just passing through, but the thunder could still be heard overhead, as it rolled toward the north. That is what you will say if anyone is to question you, understood?"

Both Chase and Tala nodded, but the Grand Master was not finished. His dark eyes flicked a glare at them both, holding them with latent anger.

"I am very disappointed, in you both," he told them, though his eyes fell onto Tala, especially. "I expected better of two Dragon hopefuls."

His eyes then fell upon Chase. Tala did not know that they could have looked any more cross, but the brown of them darkened with a glint, when they looked at him.

"I expected more, especially from  _ you, _ Chase," said the Grand Master, his voice merging onto a growl. "You are soon to be a Wudai Warrior, and favorite for the Shoku position, yet it seems that you cannot even keep a proper eye on your young charge, here. My eunuch, Yat-sen, tells me that Tala had nearly been hurt under your urging to continue with the stance, when she and her magic were under distress.”

“ _ Jo,  _ Gran-” Tala tried to defend him, but a quick hiss from Chase cut her off. 

Grand Master Wei didn’t even flinch at her protest, eyes and anger only for Chase, saying, “How can I expect you to lead three other Dragons, if you cannot even handle leading  _ one  _ Trainee? How can I possibly trust you?!"

Chase bowed, and out of the corner of her eye, Tala could see him visibly shaking with anger.

"Yes, Grand Master," he mumbled, through his teeth. “You are right. I seek forgiveness.”

"To become a proper Shoku Warrior, you must be more vigilant," Grand Master Wei told Chase, calmly. "A good leader listens to those who are under his guidance, and does not ignore them when there is a problem. He does not strain his warriors past their abilities, and he does not tear them down when they are weak. He raises them up with his support. If you cannot do this, then my eyes will look to _ another _ for the position, whether you  _ are _ the strongest, or not. Perhaps. I will need to have a word with Master Young, about this."

"Yes, Grand Master," said Chase again, just barely a whisper.

Tala watched Chase’s fingers curl in tightly, though he stayed in his bow. His eyes were steely, filled with the same fire she had seen many times in the eyes of his father, bringing back the memory of when Master Young had spoken his hatred to Tala in her quarters. It frightened her to see that rage coming from her friend.

Grand Master Wei, once again, looked at Tala. Though his voice was gentle, the sudden calling of her name made Tala jump.

" _ Jo _ , yes, sir?" she asked.

"Report," ordered the Grand Master. "How much more have you improved in your training?"

" _ Jo _ , beg pardon, Grand Master," she said, bowing, as Chase did, "My..um, _ progress _ not much, and magic is-"

The Grand Master waved off her words. 

"Enough," he told her, the edge of a growl returning in spite of the grin that curved the edges of his mouth. "I've heard enough."

"What's clear to me," he said, flicking his fingers to signal to both warriors that they could rise, "is that I have been far too lax, with the both of you."

He looked them each square in the eye. 

"Yat-sen has told me," he said, to Tala, "how your magic reacted when you channeled it through your movements. It was powerful, but you  _ must learn _ how to keep yourself in control of it. You've nearly blasted Chase, Yat-sen,  _ and _ yourself away, when you became too nervous and lost focus.”

Tala tensed, her stomach dropping, and looked to her shoes as she remembered Wuya’s offer.

“However!” the Grand Master brightened, “This  _ proves _ that there is a way to reconnect magic with the martial arts. I thank you, and commend you for making such an enormous step for the Xiaolin Dragons. Come a few more successful tries, I may just allow you to reveal this to the rest of the Temple. Your place will be fully secured here, and dare I say, you may even be considered a hero!”

Tala blinked, forgetting protocol, and looked  the Grand Master dead in the face. A hero?  _ Her _ ?

Upon her surprise, the Grand Master’s odd grin deepened, flashing every one of his teeth. 

With the smallest of nods, he said, “Congratulations, my little monk… Though, not yet. When this will occur will depend upon the success of your further training. I dare say, you might even  _ finally  _ feel safe.”

‘Safe,’ she thought, thinking back to Wuya’s terrifying grin, again. ‘I won’t feel safe, until I see Papa again.’

Chase, however, stood shaking beside her. She could practically feel the heat vibrate off of him. One short side glance at him was enough to see how angry he was. Chase’s amber eyes burned like a fire, but they were glossy with distant thought. 

Tala swallowed down the sick feeling she felt at the sight of his balled fists, and another reminder of Wuya popped into the back of her mind. She forced herself to nod to the Grand Master, then bowed, unable to speak. 

To Chase, the Grand Master added with a slight nod, and approving smile, "We have  _ you _ to thank for that, Chase. If you had not suggested channeling, Tala would not have climbed this intriguing step. My order to you now is to become a tutor to Tala, not just her guardian. Train her well, young monk. The two of you will rise together. I am expecting  _ much _ out of this partnership between the two of you."

Chase jerked his head up, genuine shock dousing the fire as quickly as water would. Tala noticed a strange satisfaction in Grand Master Wei’s eyes, and she looked from one man to the other, uneasiness tickling the hairs on her neck. 

Grand Master Wei looked at Tala, his smile dropping to a serious line.

"You are to have Chase accompany you during every next magic session that you have, in order for him to give you the extra training and assistance you need, so that you may explore this possibility further," he told her sternly. “Is my order understood?"

Tala nodded to him, wringing her hands.

" _ Jo _ , yes, Grand Master," she said, accepting the command with a formal bow.

The Grand Master dismissed them, and Chase nearly shot off like an arrow down the footpath. Tala bowed once more to the Grand Master, before running after him. 

She was out of breath when she caught up to him, but Chase ignored Tala, even intentionally walking a bit faster, but not enough to shake her. 

“ _ A _ re you alright?” she asked.

The snow crunched beneath them, but he stayed silent. 

“I-I know Grand Master was little bit, what is word? Harsh-”

Chase’s laugh was a bark. “A  _ little _ ?!”

Tala tossed her hands into the air.

“ _ Okay, _ much harsh!”  she said. “But, you must not let it.. big hurt you!”

“Whatever.”

“Grand Master not know what happened,” said Tala. “It was scary for us, both!”

Tala growled with frustration, struggling to keep up with him, when she realized that she was falling out of earshot. 

“It was not your blame!” Tala admitted, “ _ I  _ should have known what my magic wanted,  _ I _ should have been more careful. The blame is mine. I do not blame  _ you.  _ Grand Master does not understand!”

Tala nearly fell into the snow, scrambling back, when Chase suddenly turned on her. 

“You have no  _ idea _ what you're talking about!” he shouted, yanking Tala up by her collar enough to touch the snow on her tiptoes. “He understands plenty! I’ve dealt with the Grand Master far longer than you have! You don’t know what he’s really like!”

“But Chase, it-”

There that fire was again, hot and raging in his eyes. Tala shrunk into her shoulders. “Chase, no!”

“Shut up!” Chase growled, giving her a hard shake. “You don’t know anything about what’s going on here, do you?! The Grand Master’s toying with us! Why  _ else  _ can’t we tell anybody?!”

“Because everyperson afraid of magic!” Tala snapped back. “He is protecting me! Now, stop with your loud! They will hear!”

“You trust him!” Chase accused.  “Admit it!”

“You are  _ heusha, ruta _ !” Tala protested, prying at his hand. “Chase, let go!”

“Admit it!” Chase growled, shaking her again.  “I mean, he saved your life and he gave you a home! Why  _ wouldn't _ you?”

Tala bit back the bubbling frustration, grumbling. 

“I knew it,” said Chase, bitterly. “All  _ you _ know is the kind old man, who saved you from my father and the Council. You can’t see that he’s- Ugh! You’re just a dumb kid!”

“You must think better, or you will have trouble!”  said Tala, just barely biting back her anger. “Speaking about Grand Master harshly is treason!”

“Everything I do might as well be treason, to him!” Chase snarled. “I can’t do anything right, not even when I’m doing everything he asks!”

Tala felt the heat rush into her hands, and steeled herself against it, willing the magic down with a shaking sigh. She touched Chase’s hand, to gently coax it from her robe.

“Understand,” she said. “Grand Master was horrible to you. Not  like it either, but _ listen _ your speaking, for once. Grand Master of the Xiaolin Temple  _ must _ be helping us to future as Xiaolin Dragons. Might not like how he do it, but think he is really trying to help us well.”

Chase’s expression and shoulders sunk with thought, sadness creeping into the corners of his mouth.  

Tala sighed with relief when Chase’s fingers loosened around her robe. “We will be alright, Chase.”

Chase shoved her away, hard enough for Tala to fall into the snow. It stung her fingers. He held her eyes, fist still raised. 

The stone in Tala’s throat hurt more than the dull ache in her shoulder, where Chase had shoved her to the ground. 

“ _ Alright _ ?” he echoed coldly, finally turning his back on Tala. “You really  _ do _ know nothing. Stick to what you know: being afraid of your own magic, and speaking poorly.”

Tala picked herself up from the snow, and watched him leave. She sniffed and rubbed at her nose with her sleeve, justifying the salt in her eyes with the bitterness of the cold air. The sinking in her gut, however, was another matter. 

* * *

  
  
Wuya reappeared four nights later. It was after Tala had returned from a night of training with Chase under the willow tree, and had just barely nestled beneath her blankets, that Wuya shook her awake.

" _ Tala _ ," hissed the hag, roughly pushing Tala off of her mat, " _ get up _ !”

Neither bothered to light a candle. Tala decided it was best for Wuya not see the seething hatred on her face. Instead, she lay on the floor, sprawled out like a starfish, staring up at the black ceiling. 

" _ I really  _ _ do _ _ hate you _ ," she muttered, under her breath.

Tala heard Wuya snort, and then was dragged by the collar of her night dress, forced to sit up. Green fire glowed beneath the witch's face, cradled by her hooked fingers. A gleaming smile with dagger-like teeth widened out of her full lips. It was all Tala could do not to appear too disgusted by the way Wuya's nose crinkled, and how her eyes sparkled with twisted joy. The pure malice in them made her feel ill.

" _ I believe you have something to tell me _ ," said the witch, as sweetly as honey, and as sickening as blood.

" _ Yes _ ," said Tala, doing her best to match the witch's horrible smile, mostly to cover up her utter revulsion at this grotesque mockery of her mother, " _ I do _ ."

Tala took a breath, and they both grew still. The room was so silent, that Tala heard the whips of the fire dancing, as it lit the space between her and Wuya. She tapped her fingers together, trying to focus, when her hands began to burn; One, two, three, four, one, two, three, four.

" _ Well _ ?" Wuya coaxed, raising a suspicious eyebrow. " _ Don't leave me in suspense _ ."

Tala did not like the looks of this, and knew very well that she could have been setting herself up for death, but there was no turning back. Tala understood that if she were to survive living in the Xiaolin Temple, she would need to take control of her magic. She thought back to what Chase said after their meeting with Grand Master Wei. He was horrible, but right: Tala was afraid of her own magic. Well, not anymore. She wanted to prove Chase wrong. 

Tala could feel it in her gut that, if anything could help her to find the answer to suppressing the burning in her hands, then Wuya and her secrets would be it, even if it meant sneaking behind the backs of everyone who trusted her. 

She thought of Guan, and his fear of magic, the stories and legends he told of monsters using it to hurt countless people. She thought of Jia and Dashi nearly being hurt, by her lack of restraint. She thought of Chase’s greedy smile, and the Grand Master’s hopeful grin, at the prospects of it growing. She thought of the Council’s warnings, and her mother’s burning corpse. Then, she pushed it all aside with a sigh. 

" _ Yes _ ," said Tala. Her gut sank, thinking of the fearful and bitter look on Guan’s face one last time. " _ Yes, I shall accept your offer to teach me how to control my powers. _ "

Wuya's smile widened, not with joy, but as a predator whose prey had fallen into her trap. " _ Excellent. _ "


	17. Chapter 17

Seventeen_ Oranges and Woodsmoke

Tala blew out the candle, keeping a wary eye on Chase while he sat in the corner of her room. The tea she had served him was already taking its effect. He yawned loudly, eyelids drooping. 

She was lucky enough to convince Jia to give her some sleeping herbs, using her frequent night terrors as an excuse. Really, she didn’t feel too terrible about using them on him. Chase needed more rest than she did. Besides, she would not be able to trust him with her secret about Wuya, no matter how much he wanted to learn magic. 

“I don’t know why I’ve been so tired, lately,” said Chase, smiling sleepily at her. 

“Master Young has tortured us very hard,” said Tala, shrugging. 

She pretended to prepare herself for bed, sitting on the edge of her mat as she watched him sink further and further into his drugged state. He didn’t seem to notice Tala fidgeting impatiently, waiting for him to fall asleep.

Chase’s chuckle was short and half-hearted, his loopy grin falling with another yawn. “That’s such a funny.. word.. you.. us..e… f..or..”

His head dropped to the side, and he was out cold.

“Sorry,” Tala whispered, throwing the blanket off of herself, “but to not know is best, for you.”

She brought it over to Chase, and lay it over him. His breathing was shallow. Tala felt a little guilty after all, knowing that he would be very hurt if he ever found out about this, but it could not be helped. The Grand Master had said that Tala needed to learn how to control her magic, and unfortunately, Wuya was the best place to learn.

She slipped out the door, her boots crunching in the snow. There were no clouds tonight, so when Tala looked up at the sky, she could see thousands of tiny stars. She wondered if the Celestials could really be up there. After all, Guan did say they took the forms of constellations. She spotted the eagle, Aquila, whose wide-spread wings were very easy to spot, and the dragon, Draco. The zenith star, lying at the eye of the Draco, twinked brightly, as if winking down at Tala. 

Tala remembered the names her mother called them, ‘Shiaotai,’ and ‘Lungtai.’ 

She began to hum the rhyme under her breath, as she walked to the forest, “ _ Fangtai, Lungtai,Yaotai, Taieusi. Struktai, Otai, Raotai, Vinbentai. Wohtai, Shiaotai, Xestzi, Hiyutai. _ ” 

Tala hopped on one foot, singing, “ _ Don’t look up, so they won’t look  _ _ down _ _! _ ”

She landed hard on the last note, stomping her feet deep into the snow, like Meilin used to, leaving a huge hole in the deep snowbank she’d been climbing. Then, she was stuck.

Tala struggled to pull her legs out, but fell onto her back instead. She grumbled, feeling the cold seep through her coat. She looked up at the stars, wondering if sneaking out was actually worth it. 

This was the third night of meeting Wuya since agreeing to be her apprentice, and Tala was already sick of it. They’d decided to meet in the forest, just beyond the Xiaolin Temple. Making the trek five miles made Tala a little tired, especially since she should have been sleeping this late at night. Tala envied Chase now, snuggly asleep in her room, while she was shivering in the snow. 

Tala sat up, wobbled to her feet, and pulled her jacket tightly around her shoulders, giving the Xiaolin Temple one last look of worry, and pushed through the treeline. She made her way through some tickets, grumbling the entire way.  She yawned, when she finally stumbled into a clearing, the moon shining down on the snow in front of her.

“ _ You’re tired? _ ” sneered a pair of glowing eyes in the darkness, their hissing Wupoyisho scratching Tala’s ears, " _ I guess you're more human than I thought _ ."

The word Wuya used for human, ‘ _ Zeiyo _ ,’ Tala knew was derogatory. He mother had used it once, when Papa came home one day from market. Half of the food he brought back was of a lower quality than he had bargained for, but it was all the villagers were willing to sell him that day. Tala wrinkled her nose at the word, glaring at Wuya.

“ _ Don’t call me Zeiyo, _ ” Tala told her, dryly. “ _ I’m not a thief, nor a traitor. _ ” 

“ _ Sorry, force of habit, _ ” Wuya said, not sounding very sorry at all. 

Wuya stepped into the clearing, hands on her hips. She looked Tala up and down. Her lips curled with disgust, when she said, “ _ Wow, those humans sure do know how to tear a witch down. You look horrible. No wonder you keep yawning, like that. What in the world do you even  _ _ do _ _ during the day? _ ”

Tala grumbled, but didn’t dignify the insult with an answer.

“ _ Whatever _ ,” said Wuya. “ _ Come on, we should get started _ .”

Tala followed Wuya to the riverbank, and they walked down a few more miles. After having her legs and clothes scratched up by brambles, it was a relief when they stopped by a dead oak along the edge of the easternmost path. 

Tala recognized the path just beyond the black oak as a walkway toward the main road. If she looked a little further ahead, she could see a clearing in the trees. They arched a little, making a window to the world beyond the forest. If they went any further, Tala was sure she and Wuya would be on the same road Papa had walked down when he left. 

Though most everything else was covered in ice and snow, the river ran with a steady, loud rush of water. The current was strong, slamming against rocks and fallen trees. Tala could hardly hear herself think. She stiffened, inching away from the bank, as she remembered the last time she had been near such a river. 

Pushing away the memory of red hair falling beneath the ice, she asked, “ _ Why do you call humans thieves? _ ” 

Wuya grinned, leaning against the black bark of the rotting tree. 

“ _ That’s what they are,”  _ she said. _ “They take, take, take, then claim that running you off your own land, and defacing your sacred places, is what’s best for the whole of society _ .”

“ _So do you_ ,” said Tala. “ _You want to destroy their sacred Scroll of Ages._ _Sounds hypocritical_.”

“ _ Yes, but I’m honest about it, _ ” said Wuya. “ _ Most Zeiyo aren’t _ .” 

“ _ Stop calling them that _ !” Tala snapped. “ _ You don’t know them like I do! Papa is human, and he is the gentlest man I know! There are people at the Temple, too, who care more about others than you keep saying! Not all humans are bad! _ ”

The word Tala used was softer, with a more literal meaning. She felt a little warmer, saying it. A little braver, too.

“ _ Forgetting about your sister, already? _ ” asked Wuya, as if reading Tala’s, mind from before. “ _ And what about your Mama, who you just  _ _ love _ _ to talk so highly about? Do you think they’d agree with you? _ ”

“ _ You don’t know! _ ” Tala shouted. “ _ You don’t know anything! _ ”

“ _ Oh, I know plenty _ ,” said Wuya. “ _ The Xiaolin’s philosophy is to do right unto the whole: to do what society says is best for the majority _ ,  _ but little do  _ _ you _ _ seem to realize is that the only society your friends care about is their own. The  _ _ human _ _ one. We witches, and other magical folk, have to bend to  _ _ their _ _ rules, or we’re run off into the shadows, and have everything about us reduced to fairytales and bedtime stories. There is only one universal truth, and that is to do right unto the self, and what is right for you and yours. To preserve your history and your beliefs, you must  _ _ make _ _ them see, whether they like it or not. Do you want to know where I learned that? _ ”

“ _ No _ ,” said Tala. 

“ _ I learned that from the Heylin, _ ” said Wuya, making a point of ignoring her with a smile. “ _ I took on their way, became a Heylin Sorceress, and I plan on making every one of those humans pay for what they’ve done _ .”

“ _ They haven’t done anything! _ ” said Tala. “ _ The first Xiaolin monks saved the world. They brought balance to nature, protecting both humans and magical people, alike! We shouldn’t be fighting them, we should be working together! We can find a way to live alongside one another, I’m sure. _ ”  

“ _ You really believe that, don’t you? _ ” said Wuya, sighing. She inspected her nails, with a bored expression on her face. “ _ I suppose history  _ _ is _ _ written by the victors. _ ”

“ _ I don’t care _ ,” said Tala. “ _ Stop calling the humans such horrible things! _ ”

Wuya waved her off, scoffing, still looking at her nails. She held them up to the moonlight, watching her claws glisten.

“ _ You never even talked to Mama before she died, did you? _ ” asked Tala. “ _ You really don’t know anything! You’re just saying these horrible things, because she can’t defend herself, anymore! _ ”

Wuya chuckled. She said, “ _ It is  _ _ you _ _ who doesn’t know anything, Tala. But, fine. Keep your Khoren. I’ll stick with Zeiyo _ .”

Pushing herself off of the tree, and making a quick pace for the riderbank, Wuya told Tala, dismissively, “ _ Honestly, you are  _ _ just _ _ like your mother.” _

Tala huffed, blowing the bangs out of her face. " _ Thank heaven _ ."

" _ I wouldn't do that, if I were you. _ "

The solid sullenness in Wuya's voice caught Tala's attention. She looked up at Wuya, whose eyes were scanning the opposite treeline, across the riverbank.

" _ Why _ ?" she asked.

" _ Because _ ," Wuya answered, " _ talking to heaven is what got us into this mess to begin with. _ "

She stepped forward, and left Tala to knit her eyebrows together with confusion.

" _ What? _ " Tala whispered, but Wuya was already at the edge of the bank, holding her arms outstretched before her. 

Tala looked up to watch her, but was too preoccupied by what Wuya had said to really be paying attention to what she was doing. 

" _ What do you mean? _ " she asked.

" _ You don't remember the old stories? _ " Wuya called over her shoulder. " _ Shion  _ _ should _ _ have at least told you the origin of our clan _ ."

" _ She told me about the first Matriarch, but _ -"

“ _ First of all, she was called the First Oracle _ ,” Wuya groaned. " _ Come over here _ ,  _ and I'll tell you the  _ _ real _ _ story _ ."

Tala grumbled to herself as the wind blew through her cloak again, and marched over.

" _ Sit down, because I'm about to tell you a story _ ," said Wuya, as Tala crossed her legs beside her. " _ Long ago, back when the Three Hills were still just a handful of pebbles, a woman was about to give birth. _ "

Wuya shifted her feet and arched her wrists, clawing her fingers like rigid steel.

" _ What are you doi- _ "

" _ Do you want to hear about our clan's history, or not? _ " snapped Wuya. " _ I’m just making a sound barrier, so that no one will hear us. Shut up, and pay attention. Maybe you'll learn something. _ "

Tala bit her cheek hard enough to taste iron, and straightened her back.

Satisfied, Wuya continued, " _ The pregnant woman cried out, begging to the gods to help her. But no matter how hard she pushed, the baby would not come. Finally, she became too weak, so she called to Heaven, saying: "I would do anything for my son to be born! I would even die for him! If he lives, let him be pale and ugly, let him be weak and small, let him be poor! I don't care! I would take him anyway! I do not care if he lives a thousand lifetimes, or only one day! Let him be born, and let him be mine! " But still, no baby. The midwife prepared for the mother's death, and opened the window beside her so her soul could leave freely. It was at that moment that heaven answered. _ "

Tala was only half listening, as she looked up open-mouthed at the green shimmer of Wuya’s sound barrier. It domed high above them, just below the canopy, before fading out as if it had never existed. 

Wuya paused and looked down at Tala from the corner of her eye, wearing a slight smile. Embarrassed that Wuya saw how impressed she was, Tala scrunched up her shoulders.

" _ You're waiting for me to ask, aren't you? _ " she asked.

" _ Just humor me, Tala _ ."

Tala sighed harshly, resting her chin on her knuckles. " _ What happened? _ "

" _ Two stars fell, one into each of her eyes, _ " said Wuya. " _ It brought life back into the mother, and with her new strength, she gave birth. The baby was born, but not as a son. The mother was gifted with a girl. The child was born with one eye as white as the moon and the other as green as summer. She was the first Mountain witch, chosen by our Celestial gods to become the First Oracle of the mighty Phoenix. _ "

Tala thought back to Guan’s story about the Celestials and their battle with the original Xiaolin Dragons, wondering if they were the same gods Wuya mentioned. She remembered Guan telling her that the Celestials had created the witch race. She didn’t like the implication that the Xiaolin legend was true. It meant that others could be too, especially about the Scroll of Ages. 

" _ Yes _ ," murmured Tala, fiddling with the hem of her robe. " _ I remember. Mama told me something like this, once. The mother hated her baby. She called the little girl a monster. _ "

" _ No, not the mother _ ," corrected Wuya, " _ the midwife. When she saw the baby, how dark her skin was, and how red her hair, the old woman became horrified. She begged the mother to leave the baby on the windowsill to let her freeze to death in the cold night, but the mother kept her promise to heaven and refused. She named the child Xiao Xing, meaning 'Morning Star,' the symbol of our clan. _ "

Tala lifted the chord from around her neck and held her mother's heavy pendant in her palms. The metal was warm from being so close to her body, and was a relief to her freezing hands. The eye-like ruby shimmered.

" _ My mother called me Morning Star _ ," she whispered, rubbing her thumb over the ruby. 

Wuya looked at her, green eyes wide and sparkling. 

" _ Did she _ ?" she asked, her eyes and mouth round with surprise. " _ Did Shion  _ _ really _ _ call you that? _ "

" _ Yes _ ," Tala clipped quickly, looking back at the pendant as the wind sliced down her back, mixing the embarrassed heat with a slash of cold. “ _ But she used  _ _ Suxiao _ _ , not Deaoshi. _ ”

“ _ I’m surprised that you know the difference, _ ” said Wuya, with an impressed smirk. “ _ At least she called you something nice. My mother called me Beiwu. _ ”

Tala winced. Even though she was also the second born, Mama never even came close to calling Tala an extra mouth to feed. She looked at Wuya, feeling a sting of sympathy for her. 

Wuya met her eyes for a second, before turning back to strengthening the barrier, another wave of green shimmering and disappearing over them. 

She cleared her throat, and continued: " _ As Xiao Xing grew up, and the gods’ gift within her grew, she performed many wonders. It was said that Xiao Xing was so powerful with the Phoenix’s magic, that she held the very universe at her fingertips. Because of this, the old woman was not the only one to fear her. All of the others in their village despised Xiao Xing, and the only comfort she could find was in her mother's arms. But, as all little girls come to find, there is a time when we no longer cling to our mothers, and long for another's arms to embrace us. However, there was not another with gifts like Xiao Xing’s anywhere, and no man in the village wanted her _ ."

" _ But there was, _ " said Tala. " _ From the islands in the south, a man came. He had magic same as she did, and eyes as golden as the sun. He was.. He was the Draco Oracle, I think. _ "

" _ I knew Shion had to have told you this story! _ " laughed Wuya, beaming. “ _ Yes, a powerful Oracle from  _ _ another _ _ powerful Celestial. He was the only one to ever come close to matching her _ .  _ It’s a shame none of the stories mentioned his name. I’d like to see where the rest of his bloodline ended up. _ ”

" _ He took Xiao Xing away from her mother _ ," Tala growled. She had always hated this part, whenever Mama told it to her. " _ He forced Xiao Xing to be his bride, and made her hide in the caves of the high mountains and bear his children _ ."

" _ No _ ," said Wuya, " _ He set her free. Xiao Xing saw her opportunity, and took it. She and her man had to hide, to save themselves and their children from the villagers that wanted to destroy Xiao Xing and her offspring _ ."

" _ That was not how Mama told it, _ " Tala argued.

" _ Well, Shion was never a fan of sorcerers, _ " admitted Wuya, with a grumble and a shrug.  _ "Rather, she wasn't really a fan of men. At least not until she met your dad _ .”

“ _ I can’t believe you just admitted to that _ ,” said Tala, a smug smile slowly creeping onto her face.

Wuya grumbled. She then said something too low for Tala to hear, and probably something she wouldn’t want to, either.

“ _ Did you ever meet my Papa? _ ” Tala asked. “ _ Do you even know him? _ ”

“ _ Once, _ ” Wuya clipped. “ _ Don’t care to, again _ .”

“ _ And you’re  _ _ certain _ _ this is how the story goes _ ,” said Tala, “ _ because Mama _ -” 

“ _ Can I tell the story _ ?” Wuya snapped, “ _ Or are you just going to keep complaining about how your mother told it? _ "

Tala huffed indignantly, but nodded. 

" _ Xiao Xing gave birth to four boys, each named for the seasons: Chūntiān, Xiàtiān, Qiūtiān, and Dōngtiān _ ," said Wuya. " _ They fought quite a bit, as boys do, until their games turned to bloodshed. No one knows the true reason why the brothers became such bitter enemies. Some say that a woman was involved, and others say it was that a deer had gotten away during a hunt, but even their parents were split between them in the feud. Xiao Xing took the sides of Qiūtiān and Dōngtiān, while her husband took the side of his elder sons, Chūntiān and Xiàtiān. A war was fought between them so intensely, that the villages below their mountain were washed away in the floods, and buried in the rockslides that flowed from their anger. The land there became desolate, and nothing survived _ ."

" _ It's said that the war was what caused the northern lands to become a void _ ," added Tala. " _ Mama called it ' _ _ Nowhere _ _.' Not even the seasons can change, there. The magic caused far too much destruction. It poisoned the land _ ."

Wuya nodded, saying, " _ Xiao Xing, after one hundred years of fighting with her own family, decided to end it. She sent her youngest son, Dōngtiān, to give a message to his eldest brother, Chūntiān. Dōngtiān had been injured, and was weary from battle, so she had hoped that Chūntiān, and their father, would take pity on the boy and accept her terms. _ "

" _ What were they _ ?” asked Tala. “ _ Mama never told me _ .”

" _ To come home _ ," said Wuya. " _ That was all Xiao Xing wanted. She had grown old and tired, and wanted her sons to reconcile and find wives, to start families of their own. _ "

" _ I know the rest _ ," said Tala. " _ You don't need to tell me. _ "

" _ Are you sure _ ?" asked Wuya, " _ Because, it sounds an awful lot like Shion changed half of it. _ "

" _ I remember, because Meilin used to cry whenever Mama told this part,” _ said Tala. _ “Dōngtiān never returned, so Xiao Xing killed her two elder sons and her husband in retaliation _ ,  _ and she began a new life with her other son, marrying him off to a girl from his father's old clan. Then so on and so on, until she had many grandchildren and great grandchildren to look after _ ."

" _ I knew she'd butcher it _ ," sapped Wuya. " _ I swear, sometimes Shion could be such a pain. That idiot always exaggerated things, but I never thought she'd slaughter our own history _ !"

Tala's hands began to crackle with the threat of sparks, and everything within her rising up. Fire rippled up her spine, as she rushed to her feet. Her hands curled, and her teeth clenched. 

" _ Stop talking about my mother like that _ !" she demanded. Her throat felt raw and dry, as she began to yell. " _ I'm sick of you saying these things! I don't care how you felt about her, but she was my mother, and  _ _ your _ _ sister! Show the dead some respect! _ "

" _ Alright, alright _ !" cried Wuya, defensively holding up her hands. " _ Calm down there, rice mouth, we have enough problems when I  _ _ can _ _ understand you _ .  _ You’ll give me a headache with that stupid accent! _ "

Tala bit her tongue, waiting for the orange to subside, and glared down at the pendant in her hands. She poked her thumb with one of its jagged points, watching the metal arc make a dimple in her skin.

" _ Look, Tala, I'm sorry _ ," said Wuya. " _ I know you have this big, dreamy image of your mom, but Shion was not at all like you think she was. Shion was a total, narcissistic- _ "

Tala's glare cut her off. 

“ _ Do you want me to start speaking in Papa’s words? _ ” Tala threatened, “ _ because I know a few choice ones that will  _ _ really _ _ give you a headache! _ ”

“ _ You’re still practicing that _ ?” Wuya sneered.

_ “Of course _ ,” said Tala, proudly. “ _ He’ll want to speak it with me, when he comes back _ .”

Wuya’s jaw tightened. The two stared at each other in the darkness. A cloud passed over the moon, casting a shadow over Wuya's face. Her eyes glowed under the shadow, and their intensity caused Tala to look away.

“ _ Wh-what should I learn? _ ” she asked.

Wuya picked up a rock, and tossed it at Tala.

“ _ Here _ ,” she said, “sit down, and make this float.”

“ _ You’re kidding, _ ” said Tala, doing as she was told. “ _ For how long? _ ”

“ _ An hour _ ,” said Wuya.

“ _ What?! _ ”

“ _ Silently _ ,” said Wuya, “ _ You’ve annoyed me, so that’s what you get. If you succeed, I’ll teach you something cool _ .”

“ _ Like what? _ ” asked Tala, perking up. She thought of at least five things she wanted to learn, flight in particular, and imagined herself soaring through the clouds. 

Her bubble burst, and the idea of flying came crashing down, when Wuya said, “ _ No talking. _ ”

Tala grumbled, and held the flat, little stone in her palm. She focused on Push, and the stone wobbled a little, before rising into the air with a jerk. It tried its best to stay up, wobbling violently, and Tala grunted with the effort to steady it out. 

The rock stilled, and stayed flat where it hovered, but Tala had to keep glaring to keep it still. She sat like that for almost ten minutes, before her arm grew too heavy. With an exhausted sigh, Tala dropped her arm.

“ _ No _ ,” snapped Wuya. “ _ Do it again. _ ”

“ _ What?! _ ” Tala whined, “ _ but it hurts! _ ”

“ _ Daija Delmora _ :  _ Pain is power _ ,” said Wuya. “ _ You’ll learn soon enough how to take what your enemies have done to you, and turn it into your strength. Do it again, and hold it. _ ” 

Tala glared at Wuya, but did as she was told. Lifting the rock was a little easier, this time. 

Wuya watched her with squinted eyes and puckered lips, waiting in silence. Under her staring, Tala felt her arm grow even heavier. She even tried to hold up her elbow with her other hand, but all that did was make her lose focus and drop the rock. It fell into the snow with a wet  _ plop! _

Tala growled with frustration, and looked at Wuya. The corner of the witch’s mouth was pulled tightly with a held back smirk. Wuya snorted, then burst into a fit of laughter. 

“ _ What?! _ ” Tala cried, tossing her hands into the air. “ _ Why are you laughing?! _ ”

“ _ You didn’t sense my magic at all, did you? _ ” Wuya asked, between recovering breaths and giggles. “ _ You’re so stupid! _ ”

“ _ You used magic on me?! _ ” asked Tala, mouth gaping. 

“ _ How else did your arm get so heavy? _ ” asked Wuya. “ _ You don’t think you’re  _ _ that _ _ weak, do you? _ ”

Tala blushed, and rubbed her upper arm where it was still a little sore. 

“ _ That’s a more advanced spell, that’s tied to our natural telekinetic abilities _ ,” said Wuya. “ _ It seems like you already know how to use them, so it won’t be too hard for you to build up to that _ .”

Tala perked up, her stomach flipping. “ _ I’ll be able to control people? _ !”

“ _ No, you idiot, _ ” snapped Wuya. “ _ I just compressed the air around your arm to make it heavier! You can’t  _ _ control _ _ people! That’s a whole other brand of witch, and one that a half-breed like you can never become! _ ”

Heat flashed up Tala’s spine.

“ _ Why do you keep saying things like that? _ ” she asked, balling her fists. “ _ I didn’t ask for this magic, you know! I don’t  _ _ like _ _ being a half-breed! _ ”

“ _ Stop being such a whiner, Tala,”  _ said Wuya.  _ “You’re lucky I’m even offering to teach you anything! It doesn’t matter if you ‘asked for it,’ because you  _ _ have _ _ it, so deal with it and and stop complaining! Here, I have another history lesson for you: Do you know anything about the Celestials?” _

Tala lied, shaking her head. 

“ _ Stand up _ ,” said Wuya. “ _ I’m going to teach you something cool, while you listen. _ ”

“ _ But, you said _ -”

“ _ That was a test, you dummy _ ,” said Wuya. “ _ Even though you failed, I’ll teach you, anyway. _ ”

Tala stood up with Wuya, side-eying the witch with distrust and curiosity. 

“ _ Hold out your hands, like me _ ,” said Wuya.

Tala held her palms flat, toward the snow. 

“ _ Now, _ ” said Wuya, “ _ focus your magic on one spot, and pull. _ ”

The ground beneath them shook a little, as the scent of cinnamon filled the air.

“ _ There are twelve Celestials _ ,” said Wuya, “ _ and twelve Oracle bloodlines. Ours belongs to the Celestial, Phoenix. He was the most powerful of the Heylin Gods, and I am the last of his followers.You, half-breed, are just the watered-down version of what you  _ _ should _ _ have been. You will only have  _ _ maybe _ _ half the abilities a true-born Phoenix witch would. It’s sad, really, and I’m using ‘maybe’ loosely. For all we know, you might not even have any more, once your seal is broken. _ ”

“ _ My seal? _ ” asked Tala, not paying all that much attention. She was looking around, trying to find out where that cinnamon smell was coming from.

“ _When the rest of your powers will start to awaken_ ,” said Wuya. “ _You aren’t quite there yet, so I’m teaching you how to hone what you already have, until then. Now,_ _pay_ _attention_ _._ ”

Tala gasped, realizing that she’d dropped her stance, and quickly put her hands back into place, smiling sheepishly.

With a roll of her eyes, Wuya went back to what she was doing. 

Tala wobbled, as the ground shook a little more, but stayed steady on her feet. 

“ _ The twelve bloodlines each have one Oracle, who rules over the rest of the clans inside of that bloodline _ ,” said Wuya. “ _ The Oracle is tied to the Celestial, and has all of its powers, as their conduit to earth. It’s even said that the Oracle can even take on the likeness of their Celestial. For example, my mother, your grandmother, was the Phoenix Oracle. She was the Matriarch of seven clans, all loyal to the Phoenix. As you know, ours was the Mountain clan. Then there was the Lightning clan, the Krast clan, the Clan of the High Peaks-” _

_ “And did she  _ _ actually _ _ become a firebird?”  _ asked Tala, skeptically. 

“ _ Keep focusing _ ,” said Wuya. “ _ It’s almost ready. But, yes. I’ve seen her transform only once. I was a little girl, then. Not much older than you. I forget what happened, or why she did it, but I’ll never forget how terrifying and powerful she was. I have the scar to prove it.” _

Tala looked at Wuya, dumbfounded. 

She opened her mouth to ask, but Wuya said, _ “And before you ask to see it, don’t.” _

Tala clamped her mouth shut, grumbling. Instead, she decided to ask, “ _ What was grandmother like? _ ”

Wuya smiled.  _ “Ohhh, she was fierce. Nobody questioned her,  _ _ nobody _ . _ Quijorna took her title as the Phoenix’s Oracle very seriously. She would  _ _ not _ _ have approved of you.” _

Tala felt a little crestfallen, wondering if Wuya took after Quijorna, and that was why she was always so mean. 

“ _ Anyway _ ,” said Wuya, “ _ What I wanted to tell you was the powers you should look out for, when your seal comes close to breaking _ .”

Tala staggered back as the ground shifted one more time beneath her. She hit the back of the barrier, with a yelp, the green magic zapping her with a strange, tingling feeling. She sat on the ground, watching the earth ripple in front of her.

Wuya pulled out an entire tree root. Wuya snuck a disapproving glance at Tala, before lifting her arms higher, to pull the rest out of the ground. She made the tip of the root flap up and down, waving at Tala. Tala shrank back, scrunching her face.

“ _ As a witch from the Phoenix bloodline, you’ll pretty much have unlimited powers _ ,” said Wuya. “ _ After all, the Phoenix is the king of the Celestials.” _

She crossed her arms, and the tree’s root snapped off, splintering the base of the trunk. She then curled her fingers in, and the broken root curled into itself. Wuya separated her hands, and the root stretched thin, like spun sugar. It stood straight, as if she were holding it like a staff. 

_ “ _ _ But _ _ , since you’re only half Phoenix-witch,”  _ she said, twisting the root one more time, _ “I’m not so sure if that will be true for you. So far, you have an okay handle on telekinesis, and I could honestly call you ‘Sparky’ with those pitiful little sprinkles you call energy balls, but you could potentially have even more abilities, once your seal breaks. _ ”

“ _ I can have more? _ ” asked Tala, her stomach dropping with dread. “ _ I don’t want that! I just want to control what I  _ _ do _ _ have! _ ”

“ _ Not as many as me, _ ” Wuya assured her, with a shrug, “ _ but out of all the possibilities, you could potentially stop time, raise the dead, create traveling portals, bend space, hell- you might even be able to fly _ .”

Tala felt sick, thinking about all of it, but- “ _ Flying might not be... _ _ so _ _ terrible _ .”

Wuya smirked. “ _ Now, get up, and do this with me _ .”

Tala scrambled to her feet, and held her arms out again. She looked up at the black tree root, now coiled into a spiral, with awe. It looked a little like an eye, and she could see the path to the main road through the hole at its center. 

“ _ What are we doing? _ ” she asked. 

“ _ Showing you what your current magic can actually do _ ,” said Wuya. “ _ Here, take over for me. _ ”

“ _ What?! _ ” Tala cried, nearly dropping to her knees at the weight of the magic Wuya tossed to her.

“ _ Wuya, I can’t! _ ” she said, struggling to keep the root spiral from falling into the river. 

It wobbled, then steadied itself upright, as Tala pulled back on it. It brushed the snow, as it leaned a little too forward, and she flinched at the thought of it falling forward and crushing her, but the spiral’s just hung above Tala. It stayed suspended there, stopped by her outstretched hands. The spiral hung only a few inches off of the bank, looming like the gaping mouth of a monster, and Tala’s arms began to shake. 

“ _ Now, hold  _ _ that _ _ , _ ” said Wuya. “ _ Don’t let it fall into the water, or you’ll go down with it _ .”

“ _ It’s many times my size! _ ” Tala cried, already sinking to her knees under the pressure. “ _ I couldn't hold a pebble! How can I hold this?! _ ”

“ _ Magic works like your muscles, Tala, _ ” said Wuya, folding her arms. “ _ The more you use it, the stronger it will become. Remember what I said, pain is power. And, if you drop that before I tell you to, you’re going to see, first hand, the  _ _ power _ _ of that river.” _

_ “That’s not fair!” said  _ Tala, grunting with effort, _ “I thought you wanted to teach me, not kill me!” _

_ “You said you wanted to control the powers you  _ _ do _ _ have,”  _ said Wuya _ ,  _ mocking Tala’s accent _ , “Now, control them. In a life-or-death situation, you’ll wish you’d learned how to use your powers correctly.” _

Tala gulped, watching the current rush below her. It was a life-or-death situation  _ now _ , as far as she was concerned. 

Tala’s knees began to quake. Sweat trickled down her back, as she lifted her arms high above her head. The spiral bobbed again, leaving a brushstroke-like indent in the snow, before rising to her eye-level. Beside her, Wuya smiled. 

“ _ Try to get it over to the other side of the riverbank _ ,” said Wuya.

Tala grunted, sending the root spiral forward. The magic pushed back at her, and Tala felt herself slide a little in the snow. The spiral hovered a few inches, and once it hit open air, over the river, it plummeted. Tala screamed, as she was yanked forward. 

The wind was knocked out of her, when Wuya’s arm wrapped around her stomach. Tala’s nose was inches from the spiral as it bounced up, buoyed for a few seconds, before being rushed off by the current. Tala looked up. Wuya held them both up by a small root that hung out of the slick clay. 

“ _ That was so stupid of you! _ ” she said.

She lifted Tala up with her arm, and tossed her back onto the bank like a sack of rice. Tala skidded, face first, into the powder. Somehow, the cold hurt her face less than Wuya’s words did her pride. Tala sat up, wiping the snow off of her face with a groan.

Wuya jumped back onto the bank with ease, floating back down to land on her tippy-toes. She puckered her lips disapprovingly at Tala, who glared back at her. 

“ _ I was only doing what you told me to do! _ ” said Tala.

“ _ And yet, you almost died _ ,” said Wuya. “ _ You need to learn to not rush so blindly into your spells! There were five other things you could have done to prevent yourself from slipping, but you did  _ _ none _ _ of them, because you decided to just jump right into that spell  _ _ before _ _ making sure it was safe to try! _ ”

Tala snapped her mouth shut, the cold sting on her cheeks melting away from fresh embarrassment. After taking a calming breath, she asked, “ _ What should I have done, then? _ ”

“ _ You  _ _ should _ _ have put an anchor on your feet _ ,” said Wuya. “ _ You could have even tied yourself to one of the trees, if your skills aren’t advanced enough to make an anchor yet! You could have changed the air around the root to make it lighter for you, you could have pulled down a tree from the other bank to help fling it across, you could have-” _

_ “Alright!”  _ cried Tala, _ “I understand! I made a mistake, stop yelling at me!” _

_ “I’ll stop yelling at you, when you stop acting like such an incompetent moron!”  _ shouted Wuya. “ _ You can’t learn Heylin magic, if you’re dead! _ ”

“ _ I’m not  _ _ trying _ _ to learn Heylin magic! _ ” snapped Tala, “ _ I’m just trying to survive, until my Papa comes back!” _

_ “Good luck with that, because he’s-” _

_ “What?”  _ Tala shouted, rushing to her feet,  _ “He’s.  _ _ What _ _? A filthy Zeiyo? Well, I’m  _ _ half _ _ filthy Zeiyo, and I don’t care! He  _ _ is _ _ coming back for me, so everyone can shut up!” _

Wuya just stared at Tala for a few seconds. Tala wasn’t quite sure what the expression on her face was. The light in Wuya’s eyes seemed to be constantly shifting, like the dance of an open flame, while her mouth was set in a hard line. 

“ _ Turn around _ ,” said Wuya. 

A bunch of pebbles fell from the same height of Tala’s-eye level, and she gasped as they all hit the snow, like heavy drops of rain. Tala looked back to Wuya, her shoulders shaking. She hadn’t even tasted orange, that time. 

Wuya looked like she had wanted to say something else, perhaps something terribly mean, when she said, “ _ Do you smell that? _ ”

“ _ The woodsmoke smell? _ ” Tala asked. 

She hadn’t noticed it while she was shouting, but now that things had settled Tala caught the whiff of lingering smoke in the air. It tickled her nose with a hint of sweetness and soot. 

“ _ Yes, _ ” said Wuya. “ _ Do you know what that is? _ ”

Tala shook her head. “ _ I’ve noticed it a few times after I’ve used magic, but- _ ”

“ _ That’s called your magical signature _ ,” said Wuya, walking over to take a seat beside Tala in the snow. “ _ It usually comes with the spells that use the most energy. It tells other witches that you’ve used a big spell and might need help, because your energy is running low. It also means that you’re using waaay too much energy for such a simple spell. That stunt you pulled shouldn’t have used much energy at all, yet here you are, stinking the whole forest up! Either you’re so weak, that you need to use a lot of magic for the smallest spells, or you're just so angry that you’re straight up just burning yourself out for no good reason.” _

Tala grumbled. 

Wuya smiled a little, as Tala yawned.

_ “Do you feel tired, yet? _ ” she asked.

Tala nodded, yawning even bigger, this time.

" _ A lot of us have the smell of spices, or soil, rain, a campfire, natural things, _ " Wuya explained, as Tala’s eyelids grew heavier and heavier, " _ Even though Shion and I were twins, her magical signature was different from mine. Every witch’s signature is unique. These signatures not only will alert that a lot of magical energy has been used, but also warns that the reason its been used is because there is danger. The other witches who smell it will either come running to help, or run away to save themselves. Either way, I’ll be able to always tell that this is your magic, now that I’ve caught a whiff of it in distress. _ ” 

" _ I think I understand _ ," said Tala, blinking in her fight to keep from nodding off. " _ Can humans smell it, too? _ "

" _ No _ ," said Wuya. “ _ Humans can’t smell anything. They’ve lost their touch with nature. _ ”

Tala was only half listening. Her head began to droop, and the world around her went out of focus. Suppressing another yawn, the only thing Tala could think about was how badly she just wanted to crawl into bed, and-

“ _ Ow! _ ” Tala yelped, and glared at Wuya, rubbing the sore spot were she had pinched the fat on her arm.

Wuya winked at her, saying, " _ Lucky for us, or we'd have been hunted down and killed far more easily _ ."

" _ Oh, good _ ," Tala breathed, sighing with the relief of knowing that no one from the Temple would not be able to find them by their nose, if they ever were to follow her to Wuya's meeting place.

Quick to speak before Wuya could change the subject, Tala asked, " _ Why do I taste oranges in my mouth, whenever I practice magic? _ " 

" _ Oranges?! _ " cried Wuya, cackling in her surprise. " _ How funny! I thought you'd taste smoke, since you smell very much like burning wood. Ah, well, goes to show how everyone's magic is different. _ "

" _ What do you taste? _ "

" _ Me? _ " asked Wuya, fluttering her lashes playfully. " _ I'm so surprised that you care! I thought all you cared about was daddy! _ "

Before Tala could reply, Wuya answered her with a rather snide, " _ It's none of your business. But if you  _ _ must _ _ know, I taste apples. _ "

Tala mouthed the word ‘apples' to herself, but Wuya ignored her. 

She tousled Tala's bangs roughly, adding, " _ Tasting magic is just our bodies' way of letting us know that something dangerous is going down, and that we should be aware of it, or risk getting hurt and feeling the much less fun sensation of, say, breaking an arm. _ "

" _ Stop that! _ " Tala cried, pushing Wuya away. 

_ “It goes along with your fight-or-flight instincts,”  _ said Wuya _ , “and you should taste it less and less, as you grow older and more confident. At my age, I  _ _ only _ _ taste my magic, whenever I do an extremely powerful spell.” _

Tala smoothed her bangs down, with a grumble. Wuya watched on, chuckling to herself. Tala glared at Wuya, puckering her lower lip. 

She stood, saying, “ _ It’s late, and I’m tired. I should head back, before dawn comes. _ ”

“ _ Pretty soon, you won’t have to head back there at all, _ ” said Wuya, teasingly. 

“ _ Of course _ ,” said Tala, “ _ because Papa will come and take me home. _ ”

Wuya’s smile flattened. “ _ Really _ _? _ ”

Tala shrugged. “ _ It’s not like I have anything else to look forward to _ .”

“ _ Just shut up, and get out of here, you gremlin _ ,” drawled Wuya. 

Tala smiled, despite how tired she was, and waved goodbye. Wuya did not return it. 


	18. Chapter 18

Eighteen_As The Pieces Fall 

Chase dodged as Dashi brought the staff down, blocking it with his own. He retreated with four spins of his staff, and Dashi mirrored him as he advanced, leaving no time for Chase to back out of the pit.

Chase met Dashi's strike, but under the disadvantage he held the weaker stance. The tip of his staff smacked the ground, brought down by Dashi's hit. Sand sprayed like breaking waves as the boys struggled for dominance. Though Dashi had his staff trapped, one look into his opponent's eyes told Chase that he was far from finished.

If Chase had blinked, he would have been hit. Dashi swung up his staff to strike at Chase's head, but missed when Chase saw the change in his eyes and ducked. Dashi crossed behind, touching his ankles for a low-sweeping strike, but was again too slow.

Chase jumped over the staff with ease and blocked the third strike, protecting his face from a jab. Chase brought Dashi's staff down, smacking it hard enough to knock it from his opponent's hand. Sand flew, when Dashi’s staff landed on the ground with a muffled thud.

"Chase," called Master Young with a sharp bark, "you are Yin in this exercise. You must be purely defense, without aggression. Dashi is Yang, and it is  _ him _ who disarms,  _ not  _ you."

Chase rolled his eyes before turning to face the Master. He bowed, as his father approached the sand pit. The man's entire body was rigid as he approached, and Chase grinned at how easily angry his father was this morning. When he came to a standstill, Master Young was like a statue, tall and stone-faced.

"What is going on in that brain of yours, today?" he snapped, when Chase's eyes met his.

Chase steadied himself with a breath. He watched as the scarred side of Master Young's lip twitched, waiting for the answer. Chase decided to focus on the slight indent of it, and said, "My apologies, Master Young. There are no excuses for my transgression."

Seemingly satisfied, Master Young nodded curtly and turned his back. 

"Again," he said, "and this time be sure to keep that hastiness of yours in check. Sloppiness in battle costs more than just your pride, my son."

"Yes, sir," said Chase before he and Dashi returned to their starting positions.

Dashi met his eye with concern. Chase rolled his eyes and flashed a half-hearted smile, winking. He slid into the transition of the starting side-stance, bowing and opening his hand, as he turned his head to look at Dashi over his shoulder. Dashi did the same, and Master Young rang the gong.

Dashi came at Chase with a downward strike. Chase dodged to the side and blocked his body, meeting Dashi's staff with a rough push. Dashi was quick to react, and swept his staff underneath Chase's block, then grabbed Chase's hand. Fluidly, Dashi twisted, tossing Chase up into the air and onto his back.

Before Chase knew what had happened, the butt of Dashi's staff was inches from his nose.

"Looks like I'm improving," gloated Dashi. "You better watch out. If I keep winning, I’ll want to start coming to class more, and might just make Dragon before you do. I might even get Shoku!"

Chase shot up, and brought his staff down hard onto Dashi's shoulder. The staff cracked, nearly breaking into two, and fell to the ground. Dashi cradled his arm and cried out, as he fell to his knees, dropping his own staff.

Chase caught his breath while Dashi glared up at him, tears of pain beginning to escape his accusing eyes.

"I'm sorry," Chase lied, through a quivering smile. 

He was snatched roughly by the cloth on his shoulder, and was pushed away by Master Young, which wiped the smile from his face. His father shouted at him to leave, as Tala and Guan rushed forward to meet them. Master Young gently helped Dashi to his feet. 

The pit in Chase's stomach fell when he looked at Tala, who stared at him with horror. Her eyes were wide, and they were filled with such disgust that the normal grey of them looked practically white, where the light hit them. He had forgotten that she was watching.

Tala's hands shook at her sides and she balled them into fists, those wide eyes narrowing into a glare.

He wanted to explain, but she turned away and took Dashi's other side, to help Master Young walk him to the Medicine Suite. Chase wished that he was still holding the staff, so that he could throw it down again.

"Damn it!" he shouted, as Guan placed a reassuring hand on his back. 

The touch startled him and Chase ripped himself away from it, feeling trapped. He could not breathe.

"What happened?" asked Guan.

Chase ran his fingers through his hair, pacing with short strides. This was wrong, this was all wrong!

"Chase," Guan tried again. "What happened?"

Chase turned on him, "I don't know! I don't know what happened!"

"You're lying," said Guan. "Why did you hit him?"

Chase began pacing again, a growl escaping him.

"Answer me."

"Stop!" shouted Chase. "Just, shut up. I can't, I- I just need to-"

Chase cried out, kicking the broken staff away, snapping it in half completely. He watched the two halves fly. One stuck straight up into the sand when it landed.

"Grand Master Wei," said Chase, quietly. His throat tightened. He swallowed hard, trying to breathe, "I can't stop thinking about what he said to me."

"Grand Master Wei?" asked Guan. "When did you speak with him?"

"Three weeks ago," said Chase, focusing on the standing half of the staff. His throat still tightened, like a rope around his neck.

“Three weeks ago, and you’re still angry about it?” asked Guan. 

Though Guan’s voice held very few traces of judgement, Chase was embarrassed, all the same. He nodded his reply.

Guan's presence fell still beside him, like the snowfall around them. Chase watched his own breath coil up into the clouds, wishing that it was fiery smoke, not steam, that poured from his mouth.

"What did he tell you?" Guan ventured finally, with a sigh woven within his words.

"That I'm not worthy of the Shoku position," Chase admitted, using all of his willpower not to spit out the bitterness that tipped his tongue.

Guan fell silent, again. Chase could always tell Guan was about to say something that they both would regret whenever he sighed as deeply, as he did just then.

However, Guan stayed quiet. The two watched the snowflakes stick to the boulders, and lie between the grooves of the sand that were left untouched in the spar.

Chase picked at his sleeve, playing with the bump left from Tala's terrible mending. His stomach dropped again, as he remembered her disgusted face.

"I screwed up, Guan," he whispered. "I think she hates me, now."

"Tala?"

"Yeah."

"I doubt that she does," said Guan, "but it would not be unwise to apologize."

"I don't think she'll take it," Chase told him, swallowing the stone in his throat again.

"I meant to Dashi," corrected Guan frankly.

"Right," said Chase, grimacing.

"Why is it that you want her to admire you so much?" Guan asked.

Chase heard the eagerness in his voice, and wondered what he really meant. He did not say this, but instead answered, "It's not so much that, but I  _ do _ want to be friends with her. She’s put up so many walls. I just want her to open up to me."

"And yet she can't do that, while you are acting insane," said Guan. "You cannot let your emotions get the better of you, like this. If the exercise had been an actual battle, you would have been killed, and it would not have mattered what Grand Master Wei had said, nor how Tala sees you."

"Shaddup," Chase scoffed, mostly to ease the tension. "I was fine. I had it handled."

"Yes," agreed Guan, sighing, "lying on your back, with the end of a staff on your nose, is most certainly handling it."

Chase chuckled at the joke then looked at him, but dropped his smile when he saw that Guan wasn't returning it.

"I am being serious, Chase," said Guan, sternly.

Chase looked away, avoiding the full blow of Guan's overwhelming stare. He rubbed his thumb over the bump in his sleeve again, and rolled his eyes.

"Your temper is going to land you into trouble, someday," said Guan, sounding much older than fifteen. "and I might not be around to help you get a hold of yourself, when it does."

"You sound like my father," Chase snorted.

"Gladly," Guan snipped. "Master Young is a wise man. I admire him."

"I just can't take you seriously, when you do that," Chase told him, lightly patting Guan on his bare shoulder, when he walked past him.

"You should consider it," said Guan. After a short pause, he chuckled.

Chase looked over his shoulder with a confused grin. “What?”

“It’s just funny,” said Guan. “I told Tala the same thing, not too long ago. The two of you are a lot alike… I hope that you can become friends with her, like you’ve wanted, Chase.”

There was an edge of sadness to the way Guan spoke, but Chase brushed it off with an embarrassed scoff. 

“You’ve been gossiping about me?” he joked. “Some best friend you are.”

“She came to me for guidance, and to better understand you,” said Guan, again growing serious. “There may be hope for you, yet.”

Chase’s spirits lightened a little, and a hopeful blush crept its way across his nose. 

“You know,” he said, with a thoughtful smile, “she actually reminds me of you a little, too. Remember, when we first met?”

“Yes,” said Guan, looking a bit unsure, “I’ve noticed it, too… Perhaps, you should..”

Guan sighed, scratching the peach fuzz above his braid, looking away. 

Chase folded his arms. “I should…?”

Guan seemed to struggle with the words at first, and his voice strained as he finally said, “Stop being so pushy. Tala’s… Tala needs… and I think that  _ you _ need-”

Chase raised his hands in mock surrender.

“Okay, okay, I get it,” he said. “I’ll  _ try _ to be a bit nicer.”

Guan looked only slightly more relieved. 

“She’s new to  _ all _ of this, Chase,” he insisted. “Tala lost her whole family, and is in a foreign place with strange people who are expecting far too much of her, both physically and mentally, within the span of just one year of martial arts training. Just… please be gentle with Tala. Speaking with her, she seems-”

“Cold?” Chase guessed, with a grumble, “Bratty? A tad self absorbed?”

“Emotionally strained,” Guan corrected, harshly. “Tala needs friends,  _ brothers _ , not whatever it is that you’ve been doing.”

“Are you kidding?” Chase cried, “I’m the closest thing she  _ has _ to a-”

Chase clamped his mouth shut with a dead scowl, when Guan gave him his usual frown of disapproval.

“Oh, _come on_ , Guan,” said Chase. “You know she hasn’t made it easy. For _any_ of us. I know that you don’t like her.”

“Chase, if you want her to trust you, to which she’s confided in me that she definitely does _ not,”  _ said Guan, “then you must try a simpler approach.”

Chase opened his mouth to argue that his approach was simple enough to work on Guan already, but Guan beat him to the punch with a sheepish grin. 

“A  _ gentler  _ approach,” Guan corrected himself. “You catch more flies with honey, as they say.”

“Right,” said Chase. “Maybe I should read her a bedtime story. Oh, no wait. You already do that, when Tala  _ should _ be training to catch up to the rest of us. Ever think she wouldn't be so snappy, if she felt more confident, and less held back? Maybe you should push her to train more, instead of learning how to print her letters. She obviously listens to you _ so  _ well.”

Guan pinched be bridge of his nose. 

“Either way, you need to apologize to Dashi. Keep going at this rate, and I might be the only friend that you have. Dashi’s starting to not like you either, and I’m beginning to wonder if hanging around you is even worth it. I don’t blame him, since you’ve just  _ injured his arm _ .”

Chase rubbed at a phantom sting on his own arm, wincing at the reminder.

“I understand that you have problems of your own to deal with,” said Guan, “but you've been very less than kind to everyone, lately. Not just to Tala, and not just to Dashi.”

Chase jerked his head up, stomach tightening, when he saw the hurt in Guan’s eyes. “Guan-”

“How can we expect to be a team, and defeat the Heylin together, if you keep stirring up conflict within our group?” Guan asked, balling his fists. 

“Whatever, fine,” Chase snapped, waving away his guilt.  “I’ll be a bit nicer to them. I hate it when you guilt trip me about this teamwork stuff. And maybe instead of bothering me, how about you go talk to the two of _ them _ ? I never see you scolding  _ Dashi  _ like this!”

“Why is it that you dislike Dashi so much?” asked Guan. “What in the world has gotten into you?”

Chase shrugged again, looking down at his feet. 

“I don’t know,” he admitted. “I just don’t like him.”

Guan stiffened a little. 

“You and Tala really  _ are _ similar,” he spat. 

“Hey, hey!” Chase protested. “No one asked you! Where do you come off acting so high and mighty, when  _ you  _ don’t like Tala?!”

“I don’t dislike Tala,” balked Guan. “I’ve been trying to help her!”

“Oh really?” asked Chase, “Then, why do you look so mad whenever you see her?”

“She’s difficult at times, but my feelings aren’t from a lack of trying,” snapped Guan. “Tala may be a little hard to deal with, but I also recognize that she is a child going through something very difficult for  _ anyone _ , let alone for someone her age, so I’m trying my best to be patient, for the sake of everyone else on this team.  _ You, _ on the other hand, have acted nothing but selfishly, ever since Tala came to join us, and seem to want her friendship all to yourself! It’s really beginning to make me feel like you’re pulling away, like I don’t mean much to you anymore.”

Chase deflated, heart sinking at the sheen in his friend’s eyes, despite how hard Guan refused to look at Chase directly. 

“That’s not it, Guan,” said Chase, “I promise. You’re still my best friend. You always _ will _ be! It’s just that I-”

Chase ran his hands over his head, sighing a puff of vapor into the cold air. What could he say? That Tala was a witch, and the Grand Master had sworn him to secrecy, or risk her being killed by an angry and fearful mob? 

“You don’t have to tell me,” said Guan, “but I thought being best friends meant that we were beyond secrets. If you like her-”

“No!” Chase cried, “No! She’s a kid, man!”

“You are only a year older than her,” said Guan, again with that signature frown.

“A year can mean a lot!” Chase said, face hot. “I’m  _ not _ a kid! Not like her!”

Guan shook his head, laughing a little. “You are  _ so. _ ..” 

“Anyway!” Chase snapped, folding his arms, “Maybe  _ you _ should stop being such a hypocrite! I don’t see you telling Tala off, like this-”

“Chase,” Guan grunted.

“Guan,” Chase clipped, playfully.

“I know that you are stalling,” said Guan. “Go apologize to Dashi.” 

Chase groaned. “Guaaaan!”

Guan pushed at Chase’s back, turning him in the direction of the Medicine Suite’s path.  

“Go make up with him and Tala,” said Guan. “The team cannot be separated by in-fighting. It is bad enough that you probably broke Dashi’s arm, and weakened us physically. Go.”

“Ugh, you really _do_ sound like my dad,” Chase grumbled, glaring at Guan over his shoulder. “I know you’re only making me leave, so we won’t get to talk about _your_ glaring problems!”

Guan folded his arms and stood a little taller. He would have been intimidating, if he hadn’t spoken so softly. “Go, Chase.”

“But wait, I wanna know how you Tala became so close!” Chase teased, sneering. “Did she gossip with you, while you were braiding each other’s hair-”

“Go!” snapped Guan, pointing to the Medicine Suite over Chase’s shoulder.

Chase grinned. 

“Okaaaay,” he sighed, digging his heels in, as Guan pushed on his shoulders again. “I’m going, I’m going!”

“I’m still mad at you, as well,” Guan warned him, shoving Chase. 

Chase caught himself after the lurch forward, laughing. “No you’re not, you love me!” 

Guan shook his head, chuckling a little. “Yes I am.”

“Then, why are you laughing at me?”

“That was my angry laugh,” said Guan, fighting a smile, and raising a fist. “I only do that, when I’m about to send someone to the Medicine Suite. Don’t make me give you a better reason to go.”

Chase held his hands up.

“Leaving!” he said, “Leaving!”

“Are you going to apologize to Dashi?” Guan asked.

“That depends,” said Chase. “Are you gonna hit me?”

Guan jokingly raised his fists again with a silly growl. Chase laughed, dodging a mock-punch before jogging off, Guan’s laugher echoing behind him. 

* * *

  
  
"Hold still, please," said Jia, as she wound the bandage around Dashi's shoulder.

Tala winced with sympathy when Dashi hissed, whistling through his teeth at the slightest touch to his collarbone. It was swollen, and a dark pink that was quickly deepening to purple, by the minute.

He was bare-chested, thanks to Jia having to cut off his shirt. Dashi had complained that it was one of his favorites, but when having to decide between the cloth and adding more pain to his injury, he aptly chose to have it removed with the scissors as carefully as possible.

"I was able to pick out most of the splinters," said Jia, while she wound the bandage again, this time more slowly, "but I fear the shoulder may be broken."

"Jee," snapped Dashi, "you think?"

Tala admired the control of restraint held in Jia's voice when she said, "I am no physician, Honored Apprentice, but yes. The Masters have called for a doctor from the Capitol to give a second opinion, but I have been advised to tell you to hold your arm in a sling until he arrives."

Dashi glared, staring at nothing in particular, and sulked. Tala held back a snort at how much he looked like a pouting little kid. Dashi must have felt her staring at him, because he looked at Tala out of the corner of his eye. 

His glare softened, and still looking at Tala, he asked Jia, "Do you mind if I talk to my friend, alone?"

Jia backed away from him with a bow, and silently left the room.

Tala  clasped her hands together, and dropped her gaze to her feet, when Dashi looked at her. She swung her feet lightly, crossing her ankles, since they could not touch the floor.

"Sooo," said Dashi, playfully, "how are  _ you _ ?”

Tala did not want to look at him. 

“Sorry Chase hit you, like that," she said, hesitantly.

"Ehh," said Dashi, "I'll get him back, once I'm feeling better. It's not like this is the first time this has happened."

Too surprised to be embarrassed, Tala snapped her head up. “Truly?!”

Dashi rolled his eyes, smirking with a scoff.

"Come on, Tala, you've know the guy for a year, now," he told her. "Don't tell me Chase hasn't shown you his temper like that, yet."

Tala thought back to how he pushed her into the snow, after Grand Master Wei scolded them.

‘I was only trying to help, and he hurt me,’ she bitterly thought, not daring to tell Dashi about it. 

Her silence was all he seemed to need for an answer, anyway. Dashi’s expression softened.

“Get ready for a story, then,” he said.

"It was back when we were first Trainees,” said Dashi. “Before Guan came, it was just me and Chase. We were chosen together, but Chase was more of a natural than I was when it came to, well,  _ everything _ . It was pretty obvious to everybody that Chase was born to be a Xiaolin Dragon. He was fawned over and praised a lot, which didn't bother me much, until he started getting cocky about it. Long story short, we were training one day, much like the exercise today, and he mouthed off. I got annoyed, and before anyone knew it, we were on the ground, punching the daylights out of each other. Well, Chase punching  _ me, _ mostly, but I got a couple of good hits in. There were some other times, too, but not quite as brutal as today."

Tala was slack-jawed.

"He does that," she said, hollowly. "He truly does that."

"Not sure if that was a question," answered Dashi, "but yes. Not often, though. Something has to   _ reaaally _ set him off. Which reminds me: Do you have any idea why Chase would snap, like he did, today?"

"How can I know?" she snapped, blushing.

"I don't know," Dashi joked, "maybe because he's the only other person aside from me who knows about your magic, and talks to you on a regular basis. I've gotta admit that the two of you spend a lot of time together. More than either of you do me and Guan, anyway. He's bound to have said something."

" _ Why, _ " she grumbled under her breath, in Wupoyisho, " _ Why does this happen to me _ ?"

"What are you saying?" Dashi asked, his mouth twisting up into a confused smile.

Tala sank into herself when Dashi leaned forward, his smile broadening. She leaned as far away from Dashi as possible.

"Come on," he laughed, smiling widely, "tell me what you said!"

Tala looked away, blushing so hard that her cheeks hurt, wishing she hadn’t said anything. “...No.”

She was thankful that Dashi was sitting on the bench, and could not come any closer, though he towered over Tala just the same. Dashi laughed.

" _ Ch-chawquian, _ " she stammered, "Sorry. Sometimes..mix up..when I-"

Looking at Dashi's face again was a mistake. Tala immediately locked her eyes onto the floor. Her magic began to react, turning her hands to fire. They prickled, like pins and needles. Tala rubbed them together, focusing on her heartbeat, praying that the taste of orange would not find its way into her mouth.

'Slow down,' Tala willed her heart, squeezing her eyes shut. ‘Slow down!'

Dashi leaned away quickly, his shadow disappearing from over her. Tala opened her eyes and slowly uncurled herself. She saw that Dashi was frowning.

"I'm sorry," said Dashi quickly, when their eyes met, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it. I wasn't trying to scare you, I promise! I'll give you space."

" _ No _ , no-" Tala cut herself off when Dashi looked away, rubbing his knuckles on his knees.

For the first time, Tala noticed that he looked a bit nervous; guilty, even. Red kissed his cheeks, and trickled down his neck. She turned away too, embarrassed that she had made him feel sorry.

"No fault to you, Dashi," she explained."Sometimes I get, uh- fluttered?”

“Flustered,” said Dashi, still not looking at her. 

Tala nodded, with thanks. “I get flustered, and forget."

"Where did you learn that language from?" asked Dashi.

"Mama," Tala answered. "Papa has own words, too. Papa never good at speaking Mama’s words, so I speak both. Papa is why I know many common words. He trade in common tongue at market, and I listen. But..I never  _ good _ listen. Not need to, not until.."

Already embarrassed, Tala let herself trail off, when Dashi looked a little confused.

"You spoke with him a lot, then?" asked Dashi, a hint of a smile coming back to his face.

Encouraged, Tala tried to smile, too.

"Year before I came to Temple, I go with him to get cook-wood. To pass time, he sings songs, and tells stories of home,” she said, hesitantly, speaking slowly to try to say it all right. “..It is  _ very _ far away, over sea. Most I know of Papa’s words is songs. Hear them in dreams, sometimes. Dream of him a lot. Hope he is okay.”

Dashi’s smile fell, and Tala thought that he was confused again, so she clamped her mouth shut, and looked away. 

“What about your mom?” Dashi asked. “What was she like?”

“Mama was kind. She did braid my hair, like Jia, and said stories,” said Tala, smiling a little at all of the memories. She frowned a little, realizing, “but, Mama silly-str- I mean, strange. Not let me leave hut, only if Papa did, too. Mama  _ hated  _ common words, so could not learn much to speak,  _ only _ listen.”

“Wow,” said Dashi, “no wonder you could understand so much, when you first got here. So, you didn’t speak because of  _ her _ , huh?” 

Tala shook her head. 

“Mama got mad at Papa, because he wanted to teach me common words,” she said. “He want me to speak, because he speaks. Mama said no, and-"

Tala's heart dropped to her knees, when she realized what she had almost said. Her magic reacted, and the heat of it shot up her arms, as if it were a startled cat. She had forgotten that Papa said not sot say anything about Mama. He would be angry, if he knew that she did.

“Nevermind,” said Tala, deciding to lie, “forgot best words.”

The sudden silence settled between her and Dashi like a wet cloak, draping over Tala's shoulders.

Dashi took a deep breath and asked, "You really think your dad will come back? It’s already been a year."

"Yes," said Tala.

The quietness of her voice hung in the air, straining to push out the awkward silence, and Tala's heartbeat crept up on her, again. She held her breath, scrambling to find the proper words. 

However, Dashi spoke first, "I'm sorry, Tala.  I shouldn't have teased you, for speaking differently."

“No," Tala reassured him, "I should not have acted so-"

Dashi's glare cut her short, and he said, "Please stop apologizing. Let me take responsibility for my mistake. You did nothing wrong."

Tala but her lower lip. She fought against apologizing for fouling his mood.

"But I," said Tala, swallowing the dryness in her throat.

Dashi gave her a warning look. Tala had decided to move on to another subject.

She took a breath and offered, "I know why Chase is upset."   


* * *

 

Chase bit into the apple with a satisfying crunch. His steps left prints in the fresh snow dusting, brown grass ovals springing up in their wake. Though his body was cold, Chase's face beamed with the warmth of a clever smile.

Night had fallen after the hour had passed, and he had assumed that Dashi was still resting in the Medicine Suite. He hoped Tala would still be there, too. Chase was satisfied with himself and the speech he had thought up to impress her.

He would walk in looking sorry, possibly even throwing in a tear or two for dramatic effect, and ask Dashi for his forgiveness. That wouldn't be too hard, so long as Chase would promise to let Dashi get him back with a right hook. That was usually Dashi's price.

Fortunately for Chase, Dashi considered him his friend enough to not fully deliver the payback. And better still, if Tala were there to see their touching reconciliation, the playful banter between him and Dashi could very well be enough to place Chase back into her good graces, and he would be right back on track to learning her secrets.

He approached the Medicine Suite with a hopeful grin, drawn in by the inviting glow that beckoned him in from the windows. Chase decided to sneak up to the window to peek in and see if Tala was still there, if she had stayed at all.

She was! Straight beneath him, in the corner beside the window, Tala was sitting in a chair. Chase whipped himself away, flattening his back against the building, and hissed with delight, clenching his fist. Things had fallen perfectly into place, for him. Now, was his chance.

Chase turned to walk toward the entrance, but Tala's voice stopped him.

"Grand Master Wei talked with us, weeks behind," he heard her say.

Chase flattened his back again, straining to listen as her voice softened: "The Grand Master scalded-”

“He what?” asked Dashi.

“Oh, you know..” said Tala, softly. “..said we do badly.”

“Ohh, scolded,” Dashi corrected her. 

“ _ Scolded _ us," said Tala. "Grand Master was hard on Chase, most."

Then came Dashi's voice just as quiet, "Was it about your magic?"

Chase's heart skipped a beat. Dashi knew?

There was a short pause, then Tala said, "Yes."

"Why would he be hard on Chase about that?" asked Dashi.

"Chase help.. What is word? Torture.. No, not it. Master Young tortures," she whispered. 

Chase had to cover his mouth, to keep from snorting. 

“Uhh, do you maybe mean tutor?” asked Dashi. 

Tala perked up, saying softly, “Oh, yes! Tutor. Chase is a much good tutor."

The shyness in Tala's voice made Chase blush with pride. Maybe he really did still have some hope.

"But, few nights behind," continued Tala, "Chase had me try, and I was scared. I..made mistake with magic."

Chase smirked at the awe in Dashi's hushed voice when he said, "I knew that wasn't thunder."

Dashi then smirked, leaning in a little closer, playfully asking, “Waiit,  _ what  _ did Chase have you try?”

Tala squeaked, stiffening. “ _ Aitai _ .. Uh, not know best word..”

“Come one, you can tell me!” said Dashi, cheerfully. Then, suspicious, he added, “He didn’t do anything  _ weird _ to you, did he?”

“I-I,” Tala stammered. “No! M-my fault it happened!  If did what Chase said, Grand Master would not have scolded Chase, and said-"

Tala stopped talking. Chase snuck another glance over. She was holding herself together, but making a poor job of it. Tala's chin quivered, and tears slid down her cheeks. Her arms rattled like tree branches caught in the wind.

Chase's heart sank watching her writhe, but he couldn't look away. 'Just don't do anything stupid, Tal,' he silently begged her. 'You know what happens when you get too upset.'

"Are you okay?" asked Dashi.

Tala nodded her head, and her entire body seemed to fill with air when she sighed.

" _ Chawquian, _ " Tala's voice crackled like a campfire, and in a language that Chase could not understand. She swallowed, and said, "Sorry, not best to cry. Not best to say anything!"

"What did the Grand Master say to Chase?" asked Dashi, leaning toward her.

"Chase no good for Shoku position," answered Tala, hesitantly, "Grand Master said would find someone else."

Tala looked horrified, nearly disgusted.

"It is all my fault!" she squeaked. "Grand Master saw Chase badly because of me, and you got hurt because of me! Chase would not hit you, if I-"

"It's not your fault," snapped Dashi, "Don't you dare say that, again. Chase looked bad, because he  _ doesn’t _ deserve the position. This isn't the first time he's messed up while the Grand Master was watching, and it won't be the last."

"But,"

"No," Dashi interrupted Tala, "Chase is hasty, and reckless, and prideful. There is nothing that you could have done that would have prevented him from hitting me, like he did. This is  _ not _ on you, and if he ever makes you feel that way, I'll break  _ his _ arm. Chase needs to take responsibility for himself, if he wants to be leader so badly. Stop taking on blame that does not belong to you."

Chase backed away from the window before either of them could spot him.

"I can't believe this," he growled.

Chase walked away, following the dimly lamp-lit path toward the Dragons' Housing Suites. Of course Tala would confide in  _ Dashi, _ of all people! Of course she would trust him!

And, what was this about blaming her? Nobody was blaming her! Dashi was just filling Tala's head with lies, and that little idiot was just eating them all up! If Dashi thought he was getting an apology from Chase now, he could forget it.

"Responsibility, my butt," said Chase as he stood alone on the darkened path. He looked up into the sky, watching as the clouds passed overhead, revealing the twinkling stars. His breath climbed up toward them, curling and disappearing before reaching their goal.

Chase sighed, and ran his fingers through his hair. A slick-backed bang fell forward, when he took his hand away. He glared and blew at it, but it just fell back down into his face.

"Rough night?"

Chase turned around and turned back again, but was unable to find the voice that had called out to him. It had a strange ring to it, a twang that Chase had never heard before.

"Down here, boy."

Chase took a step back, when he saw what the owner of the voice was: a talking bean. It was standing upright on its own and glared at him with red eyes, tinged by yellow sickness.

"What?" he whispered to himself, thinking that perhaps that apple was a little too ripe.

The bean smiled, rancid teeth ripping across what Chase had assumed was its face, though the horrible display took up more than half of the bean's body.

"The name's Hannibal Roy Bean," it said. "Pleasure to make your acquaintance."

Chase pushed the bang back, surprise widening his eyes.

"This isn't happening," he mumbled. "I've been poisoned."

"Yes, you have been poisoned, Chase Young," said the strange and horrifying little creature, "Not by food, but by the words of your Masters. Your friends, too, if I may be obliged to judge, by what those two children were talking about, back there."

The little bean spoke with a slow drawl, the likes of which Chase had never heard, strung like a bow chord and released in a crawl, like the spiraling fog upon the hills at dawn. It was hard for him to follow the strange entity's words, and blinked while trying to register their meaning.

"Poisoned," Chase echoed, "by my Masters."

The bean, 'Hannibal Roy Bean,' it called itself, nodded. 

"We should talk somewhere where others won't listen," it said, "Would you be so kind as to pick me up, so we can chat?"

By pure shock alone, Chase obeyed and knelt down to offer the creature his open palm. 

"We can go to my apartment," he suggested, "I don't get many visitors, and supper is in two hours, so I won't be missed until then."

"Plenty of time to talk, then," chirped Hannibal, "You know I've had my eye on you for a while, son, and I must say that you are  _ quite _ the talented young monk."

Chase smirked, both surprised and pleased, in spite of the strangeness of this encounter, "Yeah?"

"Oh, yes," answered Hannibal, with a decaying smile, "and we have so much to discuss."


	19. Chapter 19

Eighteen_ Trust     

Tala paused, her closed fist hovering over the door. She pulled her hand away again, for the third time within the minute, and just stood there. Taking a breath, Tala rested her knuckles gently against the wood and listened for any signs of life beyond the door.

Chase hadn't come to supper. Normally, he was so eager to eat. It was his favorite thing, next to sparring. 

‘What Chase did to Dashi this afternoon must have really gotten to him,’ she figured, the memory of Dashi crying out in pain stinging her ears. 

Still, Chase wasn’t one to avoid confrontation. 

Tala chewed on her lip, trying to picture what he was doing behind the door.

‘Maybe he’s not even there,’ Tala thought, ‘I could turn around and come back later. I can scold him another time.’

Tala immediately shook her head, braids flapping. No! She had to do it.

‘Master Young may be cruel, but he is right about one thing: I am a warrior in training, and should act like one!’ she assured herself. 

Tala took a deep breath, forcing her racing thoughts to grind to a halt. She was done arguing with herself, and wanted to give Chase the benefit of the doubt. He  _ had  _ to have felt sorry. It was the only explanation she could think of for him to not even show his face. 

Despite that persistent trickle of doubt dripping into a puddle at the back of her mind, Tala clenched her shaking fist and knocked. She called out, "Chase? A-asleep, yet?" 

Tala snatched her hand back quickly and bit down on her knuckle, hissing back a curse at herself for stuttering. 

There was no verbal response, but in the silence, Tala heard what she had thought to be murmuring and the scraping of wood shutting against wood.

"Chase?" she called again, a bit more loudly, leaning close to the door. "Are you-"

The door was yanked open, the surprise causing Tala to reel back. Chase smiled down at Tala with that playful grin he always wore after knowing that he had done something wrong. Seeing it, Tala instantly felt her face flush. She folded her arms, instead of fulfilling the urge to punch Chase square in his annoyingly perfect teeth, and remembered why she was there.

"Hey, Tal," he chirped, "What's going on?"

"May I come in,  _ friend _ ?" she asked, biting each syllable.

"Oh look, she can form a complete sentence," Chase teased, folding his arms and leaning against the doorframe. “What do you want?”

Tala bit the inside of her cheek to keep herself from yelling at him. The pain of it reminded her burning hands that Chase was an ally, and did not deserve to be tossed into the air again, no matter how horribly insensitive he was. The tingling on her tongue obviously did not understand the message, so Tala bit down on the taste of orange at its tip and blinked away the water filling her eyes. She ducked under Chase, shrugging through the space between him and the frame. 

Chase sniggered behind her back.

"Want to speak with you," Tala explained, as Chase closed the door behind him. 

Chase met her stare, the smile on his face faltering. His eyes darted away, staring at the hand he still had rested on the door. His lips were slightly parted, as though he was about to say something.  Chase let out a light sigh.

"Before you explain," Tala said, rushing through both her words and nervous hand gestures, "must know there is no things you speak I forgive."

Chase looked confused at first, but his annoyed frown smoothed into a smile. "Listen, Tal-"

"No," snapped Tala,  _ "I  _ speak!  _ You _ listen! Not good at speaking, but you listen anyway! You hurt him! You hurt Dashi, understand?!”

Chase hid a smile behind his hand, watching Tala struggle with her words with a sharp gleam in his eye.  

“Why do you smile?!” she demanded, “You hurt Dashi! Not funny! Very serious! Grand Master says teammates lift each other up, not- not- not  _ break _ them!"

Chase’s face twisted when he heard the Grand Master’s name, and looked away as if to spit. He hugged himself, shoulders rigid, and his expression hardened. 

Tala could hardly breathe. She wrung her hands together, willing the fire in them to calm down. No matter how hard she rubbed them, Tala could not stop shaking.

“Grand Master right,” Tala hissed. “You are not good leader! You just want and take!”

Chase said nothing, fixating on the floor with a gritting jaw. 

“What?” Tala asked, but Chase didn’t seem to be listening. “Why will you not speak?”

Chase just glared at the floor. 

“Ever since Grand Master scald-  _ scolded _ us, you are no things but mean!” she said. “You are like- you are like-”`

Forgetting how to properly say the insult in his language, Tala gave up on it, stamped her foot, and instead said, “You are just like Master Young! You torture everyperson!” 

Chase snapped his head up, mouth hanging open. “I’m not-”

“You picky whatever you want! We are all sick of you picky-ing us!” Tala cried, yanking on her braids in frustration. The pain made her a bit braver. Tala became more and more angry as she scrambled to make sense. “You are silly-strange, and rude, and- and, _ horrible! _ All you do is picky! Then, when people are not how you want, you hurt them! You are such a- what is word Dashi said?...Ugh! Never mind, I am tired.  _ Aitai, Ceuyao _ !"

Tala slumped to the ground indignantly, waving him off with a harsh slap to the air, catching her breath. She watched Chase's eyes change from surprise to sadness. Her heart sank, when Tala realized what she had just said, adrenaline rushing out of her like the heat from a cold room.

"I'm sorry," whispered Chase, quietly.

"Oh," Tala squeaked, "Chase, n-not mean it. I just-"

"No," Chase interrupted her, looking away, "you didn't say anything that wasn’t true. Though, your speaking skills need work.  _ A lot  _ of work."

Chase walked past her, toward his mat, and knelt down.

"I actually feel horrible for what happened," he said, "so I planned on giving Dashi something to help with his shoulder."

Chase pulled something flat from beneath his mat. Folded into a neat square was an embroidered sash, a brilliant bright blue that shimmered in the light. He unfolded it, and held it from arm-to-arm by the white tassels of the ends that were sewed to the cloth with black and yellow beads. The middle sagged down to just below Chase's knees, swaying freely.

Chase smiled at Tala genuinely, when she gasped. 

"Surprised?" he asked. "This is the same sash I used when I broke my arm three summers ago."

Sheepishly, Chase looked to the floor and folded it back up, draping the sash over his arm.

"I hadn't come to supper because I was looking for it," he explained, with a flush to his cheeks. "I didn't want to apologize to Dashi until I gave it to him."

Tala blinked as regret and embarrassment traced her spine. Her throat felt so dry that it was closing. Tala began to stammer with another apology, struggling to push her voice into something audible, but then just whispered, "It is beautiful."

"Yeah," said Chase, handing it to her with his eyes averted, "but, it doesn't excuse how I've acted. I don't really expect Dashi to forgive me just yet."

Tala rubbed her thumb over the smooth beads, watching the cloth catch light with a bright sheen. “Sorry for yelling… Spoke in really bad way, sorry."

Chase gave a small laugh.

“Yeah, like my  _ dad _ ,” he said. “That’s probably the worst thing anybody has ever called me.”

Tala giggled with him, in agreement. 

Chase placed a hand on her shoulder. It was so heavy and sudden that Tala jumped. Though she tried to unwind her shoulders, Tala could not shed her anxiety. Chase picked up Tala's chin by his thumb and forefinger, to make her look at his face.

"Though, I have to admit that you weren't wrong," he said, softly. "I  _ have _ been horrible to everyone, and I really  _ am _ sorry. But I promise from now on that I'm going to make things right, so that I can become a worthy Shoku warrior and Xiaolin Grand Master."

Tala's breath caught against the tightness of her throat as she looked into Chase's eyes. She had always thought that they were a pretty color, but there was something about the way they flickered, almost gold, under the candlelight that raised gooseflesh on the back of Tala's neck. There was sincerity in them, but she still felt uneasy. This feeling was just like the one she felt the night they met. She just  _ could not  _ shake the feeling that he was dangerous, somehow. 

Tala turned her head away roughly, and Chase let her chin lift itself from his hand, as she curled into herself, and remembered Guan’s advice with absolute shame.

"Bad idea," she whispered, feeling as though she were betraying him somehow, and betraying Guan, too. "Sorry, Chase."

“What?” Chase asked, his short laugh half-hearted. “Still don’t trust me?”

She didn’t know how to say it, but Tala wished that she could. She wished that she could trust Chase, to see him as a friend, but her gut curdled with a silent scream not to.

‘It would just make things all the harder when Papa comes to get me, anyway,’ she thought to herself. 

Taking Tala’s silence as a resounding yes, Chase’s smile softened. 

"I know you don't,” he said. "I'm not stupid, Brave Girl."

"Not say-"

"You didn’t have to,” said Chase. 

Tala looked away, willing the lump in her throat to go away with a glare aimed at nothing. 

Chase sighed, after the short moment of silence. He asked, “Are you afraid because humans killed your mom?”

Tala’s glare melted into shock. She looked back at Chase, trying to really understand what he had said, It had to have been a mistake. She must not have understood. He had probably said something else, speaking too fast for her, and she assumed his words. He  _ couldn’t  _ have known, could he?

Chase and Tala stared at each other: Chase, with a half-hearted smile and a glossy sheen to his eyes, and Tala with a face as blank as everything else inside of her. All Tala could do was grip the sash tighter and tighter between her fingers, with each passing second and each quickening breath.

"I know that you didn't want anyone to know," said Chase, his smile shaking. 

Tala slowly stood. Her eyes were wide. Though Tala tried to keep her breathing steady, icy claws snatched at her throat, threatening to pull her into a panic. 

Chase continued, seemingly oblivious of her feelings.

"I heard you calling for her in your sleep. You always cried about it, calling out for her, or begging your dad to stop  _ them _ ,” he said, speaking slowly. “It’s not much of a stretch to figure out what happened… She was a witch too, wasn't she? Is that where your magic came from?"

" _ Keih _ ?" squeaked Tala, feeling her fingers worry through the thinning fabric. "I-I mean,  _ when _ did I speak?"

"Nearly every night," he answered. "Sometimes with common words, but mostly in…”

Chase made a vague hand gesture, then deflated, giving up -Tala figured- on remembering what her language was called. He sighed dramatically, looking overly sorry. 

“Every time I had to watch you sleep, you cried for her,” said Chase. “I woke you up most nights, but sometimes all I could do was watch. I thought you were possessed, the first time you started to cry like that. It was a little frightening to see you flailing around, and begging to not be thrown into the fire with her."

Tala felt something inside snap off and fall to the floor. With it, came tears. She started to sob.  Chase caught Tala when she fell to her knees. Tala felt everything drain from within her as she screamed and cried into his shoulder.

With her anger muffled by Chase's clothes, Tala wailed, "Want them back! My family back!"

Using the last bits of her energy, Tala weakly hit Chase's shoulder. She was angry at him for unleashing that in her, and angry at herself for allowing it. Tala kept hitting until her arm hurt too much from the strain of keeping up a rhythm, but Chase still held on. 

He hugged Tala tightly, whispering into her hair, "I won’t let anyone hurt you. You don't have to be scared, anymore. You’re safe."

Tala roughly pushed him away. Chase fell back, and the two stared at each other, sitting on the floor. Tala glared at Chase, harder than she had ever thought possible, and sucked in breath through her teeth. 

"Not want  _ you _ ," she seethed, "want my Papa!"

Her anger was all that Tala had to keep herself from breaking down again.

"I know," said Chase, "but that doesn't mean I can't keep trying to be your friend."

His words sounded far away, barely recognizable. Tala understood them, but they didn’t register deeply enough. Weariness began to take over Tala’s mind, sending a haze over her eyes.

“Just want to go home," Tala mumbled, slowly uncurling herself.

"I don't think you will," admitted Chase, sadly, "but, what I do know is that I care about you. I want what's best for you, Brave Girl. How do you even know your dad is still alive?"

"No more words," snapped Tala, pushing herself up off of the floor. "Your words are toads-”

Chase scoffed, harshly. “ _ Toads _ ?” 

“Jumping!” Tala snapped. “Hard to follow!”

“Nice excuse,” he grumbled. 

Tala rubbed her head. 

“Cannot think straight,” she grumbled. “Your voice hurts.”

“Here we go,” Chase groaned. “That’s right, pretend you don’t understand, and run away from your problems. It’s what you’re best at.”

Tala ignored him, heading for the door with an annoyed grunt.

"Tell me something," Chase continued, his voice growing more aggressive. “Do you really think your dad’s coming back for you, or are you just saying that so you don’t have to get serious about becoming a monk?”

Tala covered her ears, flinching at the sharpness in Chase’s voice. 

“No!” she cried. “He will come!”

"No,  _ you  _ have to hear  _ me  _ out, now," snapped Chase. "All I've ever done is try to help you! You push me away, because that scares you! You won't let me get too close, because you're afraid of actually feeling anything good about the Xiaolin Temple! Admit it, it's easier for you to mistrust everyone, to make  _ me _ your scapegoat for everything bad that you feel, than it is to actually admit that your dad may have just  _ abandoned _ you here, so he wouldn’t have to take care of you anymore, right?"

“You are not a goat,” Tala mumbled, but even she couldn’t really understand what she had said, from being too upset.

“Your father isn’t coming back, Tala,” said Chase. “Accept it!”

Tala pretended not to hear him, squeezing her eyes, tightly. She wanted to run, to just walk through the door, but couldn’t get her shaking legs to move.  

"Tell me I'm wrong!" snapped Chase.

Tala jumped, squeezed her eyes even more tightly, trying to block Chase out. 

" _ Tell  _ me I'm  _ wrong _ ," Chase repeated.

Tala hicked, trying to catch her breath, but made it worse. She touched her forehead to the door, focusing on the dark spot in front of her eyes, letting the sash fall from her fingers. It spiraled to the floor, like a coiled snake where it lay.

Tala felt the heavy warmness of hands on her shoulders.

"I'm sorry," she heard Chase whisper into her ear, "I can't imagine the pain you're in, but it isn't fair to me, if I keep letting you treat me like an enemy. I'm sick of it. All I want is to help you, Tala."

Tala shook her head.  Her chin quivered with the words she wanted to tell him, but she was too upset to try.

Chase gently reached his arms around Tala, hugging her close. Tala tensed.

"I really am sorry," he offered, quietly. "I never wanted to make you hate me. For what it’s worth, I think, maybe.. Maybe your dad  _ will _ come back for you."

Too tired to push Chase away again, Tala let herself relax, and felt his head grow heavy as she sank into him. Tala sighed, and so did he.

"Are we done being mad at each other, yet?" asked Chase, the breath of his chuckle tickling the part of her neck that was exposed by her braid.

To be done with this miserable night, and simply because she did not know how to answer him, Tala nodded her head. She hoped that Chase would let go, but he hugged Tala just a little more tightly instead, pushing his face into her neck. The tickle sent shivers down her spine, the strange feeling making her think of a wolf towering over a rabbit.

"Are we friends?" he asked, so very quietly.

Tala swallowed the desert in her mouth. 

"Can I trust you?" she whispered.

Chase smiled; Tala could feel the heat of it through the collar of her robe. He let go, picking up the sash at Tala's feet as he did. Tala watched  him from over her shoulder through tired eyes, deciding that, perhaps, her initial instincts  _ were _ wrong about Chase Young, and that Guan was right.

But…then again, "You did not answer my question.”

Chase smiled, and pushed the door open for her. "You didn't answer mine." 

* * *

"I shouldn't have pushed it," Chase growled, as he paced beneath the willow tree.

The night was bitterly cold. It clawed at Chase's face like an angry cat, slashing red across his cheeks and nose. 

"I should have just given her the sash, and let her leave," he insisted.

"Trust me, boy," said Hannibal, smiling, as he looked up at Chase from one of the tree's exposed roots, "your little Brave Girl will come tonight, don't you worry."

Chase glared at the ugly thing as it flashed its rotted teeth. He wanted to stomp on it.

"You don't know that!" he snapped, "You did not see her freak out last night! I'll be surprised if Tala ever wants to see me again!  I can’t believe I brought up her dad! I can’t believe I brought up her  _ mom _ ! The plan could be ruined, all because I took your advice!"

"You've exposed the girl's weakness," said the bean with its slow and strangely comforting drawl, "You've redirected her fears of you manipulating her, to the possibility of never seeing her father again. Not to mention your success in convincing Tala that, instead of  _ using _ her to gain access to magic, you are  _ only _ trying to be her friend.”

Chase balked. “I _ am  _ trying to be her friend!” 

Hannibal chuckled. “You even managed to place doubt that her father will even return for her, and her only option for security now is to rely on  _ your friendship _ . Clever boy! I could not have done any better, if I should say so myself."

Slightly embarrassed, Chase looked away, happy that the air was cold enough to cover up his blush. Chase rubbed his arms, trying to warm them.

"I don’t know about any of that,” he said. “I was only doing what you told me to do, not that it worked! Tala still doesn't seem to trust me. I don't know if she'll teach me anything, now!"

"Oh, don't worry," Hannibal reassured him, with a wave of one of its tiny tentacles. "She will. After all, even if Tala doesn't like you, there is something to be said about that closeness you two shared last night."

"Closeness?" Chase snapped, feeling heat shoot up his back. He huffed, turning his nose to the air. "I have  _ no _ idea what you're talking about!"

The bean rolled its eyes, folding its tentacles in the comedic mockery of human arms. 

"Mnhhmn," it said, pressing its mouth into a thin line. "I watched you from the window, Chase. Please, do try your best not to lie so blatantly to my face. What was that little hug about?"

“I just-” Chase squawked. “That was- Argh, whatever! I just felt bad for making her upset!”

Chase ran his fingers through his hair and turned his back on Hannibal. He played with the mended bump in his jacket's sleeve, trying his best not to fidget.

“When this is over, when I learn what I need to from her,” Chase said, squaring his shoulders, “I am explaining  _ everything  _ to Tala, got it? I don’t want to manipulate her. I just need her help to become Shoku, but she’s too stubborn to practice magic on her own, let alone to teach  _ me _ , so I’m only listening to you to help push Tala in the right direction. I’m not like  _ you _ .”

“You and I have more in common than you think, Chase Young,” drawled Hannibal. “You’ll see: the darkness in you is stronger than you realize.”

Chase glared at him. “You’re wrong.”

Chase just hoped that Tala would be able to forgive him, when the time came. He just needed her magic, just enough of the skill to win over the Grand Master's approval, and take his rightful destiny as the Shoku Warrior. Chase just wanted to be sure that Grand Master Wei could never threaten to take the position away from him ever again.

"Chase," said Hannibal, breaking him from his thoughts, "I do have another way to get that girl to let her guard down. And, thanks to your little stunt last night, you just might win her over."

Chase looked at the bean, eyes wide with disbelief, and just a tiny pinch of hope. "How?"

The creature smiled, showing its horrendous teeth again. The sight of it made Chase's back tense with disgust. It was all he could do no to visibly shudder, when Hannibal Bean chuckled.

"Tell her the truth," it said. Winking one of its sagging, tired eyes, the bean added. "After all, you can't argue with truth, now can you? Tell the little Brave Girl exactly what she needs to hear; tell Tala  _ why _ you need her to teach you about magic."

"I'm trying to get Tala to trust me," said Chase, "not hate me!"

"And that’s exactly what you’ll do," said Hannibal, deepening its horrible grin. "You'll just have to be a bit vulnerable, is all. You know, like how you made her feel last night? It's just a bit of an exchange in give-and-take, is all. She showed you, you show her. Get it?"

Chase rolled his eyes.

"How exactly does that work?" he asked.

"Tell the girl what you told me," said the bean, "Let her see the pressure your so-called Grand Master puts on you. Spell out that little sob story of yours, and she'll be eating out of the palm of your hands before you can snap your fingers."

"It's not a sob story," said Chase, defensively. "I just-"

Hannibal Bean folded its tentacles again, and give him a look.  "Mmmhmm. What did I just say about lying, boy?"

"So Grand Master Wei's hard on me," offered Chase with a shrug,  "but, I'm not some weak crybaby, whining about his life. I just want to make the old man get off of my back, that's all."

The bean chuckled and hopped off of the root, disappearing from Chase's sight. 

"Well, now's your chance," he heard Hannibal say.

"Where are you-"

A touch on Chase's shoulder cut him off, and he whipped around to see Tala staring up at him. Her silver eyes were wide and shining. The color popped against her dark skin, reddened by the cold night, making them look a tad larger than usual. 

"Hi," she breathed, quietly.

"Your hair's down," he muttered, taking a step away.

"Always, when practice magic," said Tala with a cute little huff, her hands on her hips. "You made fun, last time."

"I know," said Chase, rubbing his arms, "I just... I didn't really expect you to come out, tonight."

" _ Almost _ , no," Tala admitted, her strange accent adding a trill to her words with anairy puff, "but must practice. Grand Master Wei said we must." 

She wrapped the giant sleeves of the coat she wore around herself, and sunk into the large collar around her neck. Tala really was tiny, especially in something that would have been even a little big on him.

Chase smiled at the thought of messing up her hair for being so cute, but stopped himself. He just watched as Tala went through the first cycle of motions, regulating her breathing and switching into an opening stance.

"Look, Tala, I-"

“Stop your mouth," Tala said, whipping her head around to glare at him. She turned back, following through with the next movement, and after a rounded exhale through her mouth, said, "We are only for training, that is all."

Chase whistled behind his teeth, and ran his fingers through his hair. A bang fell in front of his face, but he ignored it. Chase touched Tala's shoulder.  She spun around, her black hair whipping the air. She blocked his hand with her own, locking their wrists.

Tala's glare was fierce. 

"You want to comfort someperson, speak to Dashi in Medicine Suite," she hissed. There was such a thickness to her accent, that Chase could just barely understand the words. "But want to help me train, then spar!"

Great, there would be no reasoning with her. Chase smirked. Still touching wrists with her, he settled into the Horse Stance.

Tala kicked up her leg to pull Chase's arm down, but Chase was quicker. He parried it with his opposite arm. He sent it back down and pushed her middle, forcing distance between them. Tala staggered back, and Chase seized the moment to grab her by the wrist.

Chase yanked Tala forward again, intending to knee her in the gut, but Tala blocked his knee with a flat palm. She twisted again, attempting to kick him.

Tala nicked Chase’s side, but was unable to follow through with the full blow. She growled, and Chase smirked. 

“So slow,” he teased. “Come on, show me what you’re made of!”

Chase went for her face,  as Tala’s shorter stature gave him the advantage of a downward strike with the heel of his palm, but Tala blocked him again and struck Chase's ribs, taking the upper hand. The force of her punch sent Chase onto his back, into the snow.

Tala ran at him without pause, and Chase let her. He swiped at her feet with his legs. Tala toppled with a shriek, and she fell. Chase hopped up, using his arms as a springboard. He was back on his feet before Tala hit the ground.

Chase stood over Tala, smiling confidently. He watched Tala catch her breath. She lay on her back with her arms sprawled out, whining angrily for being tricked. Chase knelt down, and rested on Tala's feet. He leaned his elbows on her knees, chuckling.

"You _ so _ aren't ready for the Apprentice rank," he said. "Dad was right; it's going to take years for you to just master the basic forms. I almost feel sorry for you."

Chase laughed as Tala struggled to talk and quickly gave up, wheezing between breaths.

"What was that?" he teased. "You need to do some sit-ups? To build up your stamina? Okay, give me fifty crunches."

" _ Ceuyao _ ," Tala managed to breathe. “You  _ are _ just like Master Young.”

Chase laughed a deep belly laugh that dug into the pit of his stomach.

Tala tucked her hands behind her head and pulled herself up.

"One," she said, dropping down. Returning back up, she grunted, "Two,"

Chase chuckled when she stuck her tongue out.

"THREE," Tala headbutted Chase with a painful thunk. 

Both cried out and immediately, and held their faces in their hands.

"Son of a-" Chase cried, along with some very colorful curses. "I think you bruised my forehead!"

Tala only laughed as she held her own face, rolling on the ground. Chase glared at her through his fingers.

"You cheeky brat!" he seethed. "Don't think I won't kick your scrawny butt for this!"

Through her tears and gasps of giggles, Tala spoke her strange language, pointing at Chase as if he were some hilarious oddity, crying, “ _ Chao hao chang titi _ !,” among other things.

He only heard a few other words, but whatever she said was fast. It sounded smooth and airy, clicking against the roof of her mouth like wind in the trees, until Tala fell into another burst of uncontrollable giggles.

"You're lucky that I can't understand that," Chase grumbled, rubbing his forehead.  "Are we even, now?"

Tala sat up, pushing her bangs back from her face. She held up her thumb, unable to speak, as she still was recovering from laughing so hard. 

Smoothing his bang back into his hair, Chase asked, "Do you want to keep beating the crap out of each other, or do you actually want to practice magic?"

"Magic," said Tala, narrowing her eyes, “but want to ask, too. Why you hurt Dashi?”

Oh. Chase nearly panicked, his heart dropping into his stomach. He darted his eyes around,  and felt his tongue grow numb, while he struggled to find the right words that wouldn’t make him look more like a jerk than he already did.

Then, he remembered Hannibal Bean’s advice.

Chase met Tala's eyes, tightening his mouth into a thin line, and mentally prepared himself.

"Do I really have to do this?" he asked, but the look on Tala's face told him that -in fact-  _ yes _ , Chase had to do this.

He grumbled, then asked, "Do you remember that day the that Grand Master talked to us about your magic practice, and how I… wasn't a good leader, for it?"

"Yes," said Tala, averting her eyes, suddenly softening her glare into something a bit more sad. She rubbed her shoulder, thoughtfully.

Oh, right. Chase felt the pit in his stomach drop, remembering Tala’s terrified face, looking up at him from the snow. 

"I-” Chase cleared his throat. 

Sighing, he said, "No matter how many times he threatens me, it's always the same. I get into a mood for a couple of days, and I get set off. The tiniest things throw me, and I can get into a rage when I'm not careful about it."

"You hurt Dashi," said Tala, her quiet voice swelling with anger. “You hurt _ me _ !”

“Right,” Chase mumbled. “I’m sorry about that, and I'm not all that proud of what I did to Dashi, either. I hate it when I get that way, actually. I don't like to lose control very much. The Grand Master just knows exactly what to say to me, and I can’t seem to help myself."

Tala looked away from Chase, again. Either she was angry with him, or the dead leaf lying in the snow beside her was more interesting than their conversation. Chase could visibly see Tala's jaw clench. She held herself just a bit more tightly, too.

"I guess they don't call the Fire monk the 'Keeper of Passion,' for nothing, right?" he offered with a small laugh, trying to get Tala to look at him again. She didn't. Tala kept staring at that stupid leaf, stubbornly.

"Let me explain," Chase begged. " Please? Just look at me."

When she wouldn't, he let out a sigh. Oh well, it was now or never. Chase knew that he was going to regret this, but:

"All my life," said Chase, "I've been told that I'm destined to be the next Shoku Warrior. The Masters, especially Grand Master Wei, tell me every day that I am blessed with my gifts as a prodigy, and that I'm lucky to have such natural talent. I have to constantly make high marks and keep beating my own records, _ and  _ everyone else's, just to keep Grad Master Wei impressed. He’s always telling me, one little slip-up, and everything I've worked so hard for will come crashing down. It's just a little too much pressure, sometimes. My dad doesn’t even seem to care, even when I get hurt. He just tells me to keep going, and to stop acting so-”

Chase paused for a second, remembering all of his father’s glares and sharp orders, one word coming to mind, “- _ weak _ !"

Chase covered his mouth after hissing that out, realizing how hostile he was getting. His stomach flipped, and his mind looked back on his conversation with Hannibal Bean. He blinked hard to banish the bean’s voice from his head, whispering steadily, ‘ _ The darkness is stronger in you than you realize _ .’

“I’m sorry,” Chase said quietly. “I probably shouldn’t be saying all of this. Do you even understand what I’m saying?”

Tala didn’t really respond. She unwrapped her arms from around her middle and curled her fists, resting them on her knees. She still didn’t look at him.

“You do understand me, right?” Chase asked, again.

Tala nodded, her jaw clenched in her stubborn way. He thought that he could see a bit of shining in her eyes.

"I know it’s not an excuse," said Chase, " but I've been pushed my entire life to be perfect. You may have been forced to hide for your gifts, but I've been forced to stand in the limelight for mine. Don't get me wrong, I love the attention, but it's hard to see if anything I do is really worth it. I keep reaching, and digging deep, and going hard, yet I don't even get one positive word from the only person in this world whose praise means everything to me. My own father refuses to tell me that my hard work is paying off. I wonder if I’m even his son."

Chase turned away, feeling his cheeks burn. His eyes hazed, too. His jaw hurt from clenching it. 

"Master Young just keeps pushing me and pushing me," Chase said, chin quivering. "I can do literally everything in a set perfectly, but if I place even  _ one toe _ out of alignment, he points it out and focuses on that one thing instead of everything else that I've gotten right. In a way, I envy you. You can still have hope that your dad cares enough to return for you, but I had to give up on mine a long time ago."

"Sorry," he heard Tala whisperer, just a breath above the wind.

"These people!" he growled, "They don't understand! They need me to be strong, to protect them, but when I'm holding everyone else up, who's there to hold  _ me  _ up? Why do  _ I _ have to carry everyone else on my back? I'm just a human! I can't do it! Fame, yeah, that's great, but I never asked for this! I just want, for once in my life, to feel like my role as the Shoku Warrior is standing on solid ground, and to feel like I mean more to the people who raised me than just some future legend for them to pass down to kids at bedtime!"

"Chase," Tala said, a little more loudly, "I-I understand. Stop, now-"

"Do you?" Chase shouted. "You act like I don't know what it's like to be afraid, looking over your shoulder every day and wondering what’s going to happen to you, but I do, Tala! I'm terrified that I'll wake up one day, and no longer be useful to the Elders! If becoming the Shoku warrior was all that I was born for, then what the hell am I supposed to do if that gets taken away from me? I'd rather be miserable, fighting for this so-called destiny that my father and Grand Master Wei are pushing me toward, than to wander around without a purpose! It's a fate worse than death, to me! Without my skills, without becoming  _ leader _ , I’m nothing! You aren't the only one fearing for your life, here, okay!?"

When the echoing of his voice settled, like the dying wind that rustled the bare branches above them, Chase realized by the stinging cold biting at the corners of his eyes and down his cheeks that he was crying. He hiccuped a wet sigh, and rubbed the back of his neck, his fingers meeting the heat that crept up his spine and warmed his ears.

"That's why I wanted to learn your magical secrets," he admitted. "I just want to feel more secure. I believe that learning magic can help me to have something to hold onto, so I won't have to keep feeling so unstable. If I’m the first Xiaolin monk to learn magic in three hundred years, then I’ll get the Shoku position for sure, and I’ll earn the approval of our masters, once and for all."

Chase shyly lifted his gaze, praying that Tala wasn't actually looking at him, but she was. Sad and open, Tala stared at him, tears beginning to well up in her eyes, too.

"It's okay if you hate me," he whispered, "but at least you now know the truth. I'm sorry for trying to use you. I was just scared-"

Tala leapt up, and wrapped her arms around Chase's neck.

" _ Ceuyao _ ," she whispered, squeezing him tight. "Should have just told me!"

Chase hugged her back, letting himself sink into Tala's shoulder.

"It's more complicated than you think," he mumbled into her coat.

Tala didn't say anything, but Chase sensed that she probably understood what he meant when she rested her cheek against the top of his head. Tala pulled away, and stared down at Chase with tired eyes. 

"Still mad," she said.

“What?!” Chase cried. “For real?! Come on, I just poured my heart out for you!”

Tala reeled back so fast that Chase thought she’d been pricked by something sharp. He almost wanted to ask if she was okay, but then noticed the look on her face.

“No blood..” she said, looking Chase up and down with both disgust and mild worry. 

“It’s a figure of speech,” said Chase, realizing what she might have imagined, with a little chuckle. “It means I told you how I really feel.”

“Pour your heart..” Tala mused, her nose wrinkling. “Disgusting.”

“There’s no actual blood involved, I promise,” Chase assured her, dryly.

“Not like it,” Tala clipped. 

“You don’t have to use it,” he said. “I’m surprised Dashi didn’t teach you any sayings, since you guys have gotten _ so  _ close.”

"Not much like Dashi, do you?" asked Tala.

Chase winced at the question, realizing that his voice had sounded just a little too harsh, before she had asked.

"No, I don't," he said.

"Why?" asked Tala.

Chase sighed, and ran his fingers through his hair. He grinned up at her sheepishly, shaking his head. 

“We just don’t get along very much,” he said. “I’ve always worked hard at being the best, and Dashi doesn’t try at all. He doesn’t even show up to class most of the time, then starts talking like he can just  _ defeat _ me, because I was having a bad day. He’s a joke, and he’s annoying. I wish the Elders would just kick him out already, but you know, the four of us are ‘the Chosen Ones,’ so..”

Chase pushed himself to his feet, and realized just how tall that he towered above Tala when she stood so close to him. The top of her head just barely met his mid-chest. Chase snorted, and rested an elbow on the top of Tala's curls, ignoring her tiny "Hey!" in protest.

"Well, if we're calling it quits, for the night, I should at least…" said Chase, slyly. He wrapped her head in a chokehold, and dug his knuckles into Tala's scalp before she could duck out from under his arm. "Give you a parting present!”

Tala yelled and struggled, but laughed all the same.

"Let go!" she cried, "Let go,  _ Ceuyao _ !"

He let go, and she darted away, giggling and groaning with pain. He laughed, as Tala recomposed herself, rubbing her head and catching her breath.

"Payback," Chase said, with a grin and an outstretched shrug once she looked at him again. “Told you I would!”

Tala kicked snow at him, yelling, "Go away, fluffy!"

Chase cackled. “Fluffy? Really? Dashi should at least be teaching you better insults than that!”

“Go home!”

"I'll see you, tomorrow," Chase said with a wave over his shoulder.

'Good,' thought Chase, as he walked down the winding path toward the Warrior Suites. ‘At least tonight has gone right. Maybe tomorrow Tala will actually begin to trust me, and I can finally start getting what I want.'

* * *

  
Tala stood in the cold, waiting for the sound of Chase's footsteps to die down further along the path. It was easier to be rid of him than she thought. Chase had done most of the work for her, tiring himself out like that.

Her heart and stomach ached at once so suddenly, that cramps shot up Tala's back and steeled it. She shuddered, feeling the cold wind blow straight through her jacket and sting her already aching bones.

"Bad idea," she growled to herself aloud, answering the voice in her head that nagged her, teasing Tala with questions about Chase. 

Tala’s head raced with thoughts and memories, assessing everything Chase had done over the course of the past year. " _ I'm still not sure if I can trust anything of what he says, at all _ ."

Not that she ever did.

" _ What do I do?! _ " Tala cried, throwing her arms into the air. She spun in a circle with frustration, holding the sides of her head to starve off the sudden wave of a headache.  _ "I can't just _ -"

Tala stopped when she noticed something odd at the wall crack. A green light flickered, illuminating the crack, as a strike of lightning would. Tala narrowed her eyes.

" _ Great, _ " Tala muttered. " _ She’s back _ ." 


	20. Chapter 20

Twenty_ Breaking the Seal  

Wuya was smiling, when Tala had finally caught up with her. Tala ducked below one of the lower-hanging branches along the path, carefully pushing it away from her face, to keep it from tangling with her hair. The tail-end of her curls were snagged when Tala righted herself, anyway. 

She cried out, which only earned an annoyed pucker from her aunt’s lips. Wuya, leaning on a boulder a little further down the path, snapped her fingers.

The branch, as fluid as a ribbon, unwound itself from Tala's hair. Tala jumped away from it, wary that she might get tangled again, if she kept standing so close.

" _ That boy you were flirting with was cute _ ," commented Wuya, as she inspected her nails.

Annoyed with both Wuya and the branch, Tala untied the yarn from to her wrist and began to pull her hair back, huffing, " _ That wasn't flirting. That was combat practice _ ."

Smugly, Wuya smiled, folding her arms and lifting her chin.

" _ Oh, little girl, _ " she said, " _ you have got  _ _ a lot _ _ to learn about men. _ "

" _ Chase isn't interested in me _ ," Tala dismissed, wincing at how informally Wuya spoke to her. She wound the string around the end of her braid. " _ He teases me, but that's it _ ."

" _ Teases _ ?" snorted Wuya. " _ For a boy his age, that's practically a proposal. _ "

" _ That's hardly appropriate _ ," said Tala, rolling her eyes. " _ You haven’t seen me for three weeks, and the first thing you want to discuss is  _ _ this _ _? I am not eligible for marriage yet, anyway. Why would anyone _ -"

" _ You'll be eligible soon _ ," Wuya pointed out. " _ You hardly look it, but it's true. You're growing up fast. Nearing thirteen, already. I wouldn't believe it, if I hadn't kept track all these years _ .  _ You’re almost ready for- _ "

Tala groaned, " _ Why _ _ are we talking about this? _ "

Wuya smiled, straightening herself. She pointed at Tala with a wink, saying,  _ "Just wait until the family hips grow in. You'll see, he'll be dripping through your fingers like melting snow. They'll only get bigger when you have kids, too. Trust me, that's the one part of our bodies that won't stop growing _ ."

" _ Can we just start the magic lesson _ ," Tala begged, her own throat strangling itself from embarrassment. " _ Please?! _ "

" _ Fine, fine _ ," said Wuya, waving off Tala's discomfort as if it were a stink in the air. " _ Follow me _ ."

Wuya strutted away from the path, delicately landing each step on silent tip-toes. Tala saw her as a cat, especially with the way her aunt's hips swayed with confidence and how her toes left such odd, small intents in the snow. Restraint was held within each step, keeping Wuya's advancement through the forest underbrush as quiet as the cold breeze that played with Tala's bangs.

Tala, however, had yet to master her own feet. Fallen twigs and leaves, still unburied by the snowfall, cracked and rustled beneath her clumsy boots.

" _ Keep quiet _ !" Wuya hissed over her shoulder. “ _ If that boyfriend of yours followed you, then you're making it far too easy for him to track us! _ ”

" _ It's not my fault that you're taking me through such thick brush! _ " Tala hissed back, the shock of embarrassment scratching at her throat. " _ I can't navigate as easily as you can! _ "

" _ You're just lucky I can't smell him _ ," Wuya snapped. " _ Even if we are family, I would kill your little boy-toy before you could even open your mouth to stop me _ ."

" _ That's nonsense _ ," Tala said, " _ and he  _ _ isn't _ _ my- _ "

Tala's nose collided with Wuya's back so suddenly that her neck hitched. She rubbed at its soreness, glaring right back at Wuya, who turned on Tala with a frown.

" _ We're here _ ," the witch told her, a snarl wrinkling her nose as if she had just bitten down on a sour grape seed.

Wuya held her arm beneath a curtain of tangled vines and lifted it away. A wide creek, rushing with a current fast enough to not be overtaken by ice, ran between where they stood and where the rest of the forest lay. It was the barrier between the Xiaolin Temple and the foothills of the Three Hills. Though the forest wood was thick, Tala could see the dormant beasts lifting their three black heads just beyond the treeline. The mountains shrouded the lands beyond the winding trees.

Boulders and fallen skeleton trees lined either side of the creek. A slab-like boulder in particular dipped down the slope, reaching its slender neck into the rushing water. The white rings at its top-most notch showed just how high the current would come during the rainy summer season.

For now, though, the current sank to nearly half of the bank's height. Tala even saw a couple of clothes baskets, carelessly left by a Temple maid or two, still lingering on top of one of the lower-laying boulders that was wedged within the dry dirt wall. Just as flat as the large marker boulder, the flat-laying boulder looked much like an open fan.

Tala remembered using that very same rock as a base to sit upon without getting herself too wet while washing clothes. The maids always came down here, as she often had with Jia, to clean their aprons. However, Tala and the other maids had taken the walking path farther down the bank, cleared and beaten by centuries of footprints left by the hundreds of thousands of women before them.

" _ We should have taken the walking path _ ," Tala told Wuya, with an underwhelmed grunt. " _ It would have been easier to make our way, instead of getting tangled in the brush. _ "

" _ Easier _ ?" asked Wuya. " _ Easy gets you killed, Tala. Never forget that _ .  _ You remember what happened, the last time you tried to take a shortcut. I saved you from drowning _ ."

She stepped onto the bank first, leaning out of the shadows, much like a doe listening for a predator. Tala stood back, waiting until Wuya waved her out, still keeping a cautious ear to the trees.

Tala joined her, wrapping the brown cloak tightly around her arms. She shivered, when the wind rushed through.

" _ How can you stand this? _ " she asked, pulling the hood over her ears.

" _ Don't tell me you're cold _ ," said Wuya, purely surprised.

" _ You aren't _ ?"

" _ Not normally, no _ ," said Wuya, lightly. “ _ I guess I should actually teach you how to keep your core warm, then _ . _ Half-breeds are  _ _ so _ _ needy _ .”

Wuya took a stance, spreading her legs wide. Tala mirrored her, grumbling. Wuya pressed the flats of her fingers together, making a triangle shape with her hands.

When Tala matched her, Wuya said, “ _ Now, tighten your core. Focus a little bit of magic into your stomach _ .”

Tala did as instructed, and felt warmth pool into her stomach, like she had just eaten porridge. Her shivering stopped, as the warmth pulsated up into her arms and down her legs.

“ _ Feeling better, yet? _ ” asked Wuya, smirking down at Tala.

Tala blushed a little, not wanting to give Wuya any satisfaction from seeing a smile of her own, and nodded. She hated how much Wuya reminded her of Mama, sometimes.

“ _ Now _ ,” said Wuya, “ _ since we’re already in the stance we need, I’m going to reach you- _ ”

" _ You and Mama took away the Xiaolin's magic _ ," said Tala. 

Wuya’s eyes widened slightly, and dropped her stance. “ _ She told you? _ ”

Tala shook her head. 

“ _ I saw it in a dream, _ ” she said.  _ “I saw through Mama’s eyes. I saw you kill all of those men, too. It has been bothering me, for a while. What happened? _ ”

Wuya laughed a little, as if looking back on a fond memory. “ _ That was the last time I had any fun with your mother. We had some wild times, back then. _ ”

“ _ You cursed the Xiaolin to lose their magic _ ,” said Tala, her stomach dropping at the hissing way Wuya had said ‘fun.’ “ _ Is there a way to return it _ ?"

" _ You don't want to, trust me, _ " assured Wuya, for the first time since Tala met her, looking worried. " _ The minute you tell the Grand Master, and he realizes how futile that cause would be, he'll kill you _ ."

" _ No, he won't, _ " Tala said, her heart fluttering. " _ I'm still the Monk of Wind. They still need me to complete the Cycle. _ "

" _ They've been without the Wind Monk for hundreds of years _ ," Wuya reminded her, grimly. " _ Whatever the Grand Master has told you, you're not  _ _ that _ _ special. _ "

" _ But the Dragons have been vulnerable, without their fourth member _ ," explained Tala. " _ Both Grand Master Wei and Master Young have told me that my role is vital to keep the Dragons at full strength. Guan is teaching me how to read, using the recorded history of the Xiaolin Dragons. I've seen, myself, in their stories just how much more vulnerable they were with only just three. Besides, the Grand Master is happy with me. I don’t think he would hurt me. _ "

She almost admitted to speaking Wuopyisho with him, but decided against it. Tala didn’t want Wuya to know about his fluency, especially if she would just keep calling him Zeiyo.

" _ Whatever _ ," scoffed Wuya, all formality in her tones gone. " _ My answer is still no. I promised your mother that I would train and protect you, not serve you to Wei on a silver platter _ ."

Frustrated, but not about to give in, Tala decided to play one of Wuya's own tricks against her. With a sly smile, she sang, " _ Providing me with vital information is a  _ _ form _ _ of protection~ If I do get caught, and they decide to kill me, I could hold this over their heads. I can speak common tongue in full sentences, now… mostly.” _

Wuya narrowed her eyes. 

_ “I can do it! _ " Tala cried “ _ Tell me how to break the curse! _ ”

“Really.” Wuya scoffed, using the common word. 

“I can do it!” Tala insisted again, matching her. 

“Okay, genius,” said Wuya. “Tell me a story in common tongue, and  _ maybe _ I’ll believe you.”

Tala stifined. 

“O-oh! Right!” she said. “ _ Let’s see _ ,”

“Hey, hey!” Wuya protested. “Common tongue, only!”

“Okay!” said Tala. “Need to think! Jeez.”

Tala thought for a moment, trying to remember the shortest story Guan had ever told her. The forest was still, as if waiting alongside Wuya to listen.

After a short time, Wuya scoffed. “You can’t do it.”

“I can!”

“This is crazy,” said Wuya. “I can’t risk you trying to tell it. You’re going to die.”

“Not die!” Tala protested. “I can tell! Let me think!”

“They’ll label you crazy, and lock you in a cell, for struggling to say something so complicated. They’ll think you’re speaking gibberish,” Wuya dismissed. “No, I won’t te-”

“LONG AGO,” Tala said loudly, over Wuya. The two glared at each other. 

“Long ago,” Tala said again, “the Xiaolin Dragons traveled to the Capitol.”

Tala paused, her eyebrows meeting with confusion.

“How to say..” she murmured to herself.

“A full sentence, very good,” said Wuya with an appreciative nod, “but it’s not a story.”

“Shh!” Tala hushed, wildly waving a hand at Wuya. “Want to tell it!”

Wuya folded her arms. “Hurry up and tell me, then. I want to get to your lesson before sun up.”

“The Xiaolin Dragons.. The Xiaolin Dragons met the Emperor, who was… What is word?” 

Tala growled, hitting the side of her head. 

“Know this word, know it!” she insisted, pointing a finger at Wuya, when she opened her mouth. 

“Ah! Right!” Tala said, brightening. “The Emperor was vexed! He was vexed because… because.. Oh! A dragon! There was a dragon eating all of the gold in the city!.. Or was it the mounds? Hills!”

Wuya opened her mouth again.

“NO!” Tala snapped, a lump forming in her throat. “I know the story! Just need time to say it all right!”

“ _ Look, Tala, enough _ ,” said Wuya, her Wupoyisho gliding smoothly. “ _ We only have a few hours left. You didn’t convince me. Let’s move on _ .”

Tala bit back her frustration, sniffling.

“But, can say it,” she murmured one last time in common tongue, rubbing at her nose with her sleeve.

“ _ Sorry, but you lost your chance _ ,” said Wuya, coldly. “ _ We’re moving on. Get over it. _ ”

Tala bit the inside of her cheek, trying not to cry. A whimper escaped, in spite of Tala’s stubbornly clenched fists and gritted jaw.

Wuya stared at her for a minute, before saying, “ _ I guess, if you do well during the lesson, I’ll tell you. Just...don’t try to tell anybody. Your common tongue is horrendous. _ ”

Tala looked at Wuya, surprise allowing a few tears to drop from her eyes. 

" _ You will? _ " asked Tala.

" _ Magic lesson first, _ " said Wuya. " _ But _ _ , you must  _ _ not _ _ get caught with the information. If those masters of yours think you’re withholding information from them, they won’t hesitate to call you a monster and have you burned ali- _ "

Tala jumped up.

“ _ Okay! _ ” she said. “ _ What’s tonight’s lesson? _ ”

“ _ Those sparks of yours _ ,” said Wuya. “ _ They seem to pop right out of you, whenever you get really mad, don’t they? _ ” 

Tala looked down at her hands, curling her fingers in and out.

“ _ Is the burning I feel because of that? _ ” she asked. “ _ I feel it when I use Push, too. _ ”

“ _ Push _ ,” Wuya snorted. “ _ What a cutesy name for Telekinesis. No, your hands burn because your magic is warning you that it’s ready to fight. _ ” 

“ _ Oh _ ,” said Tala, heat crawling up her neck. “ _ Like what you said, last time. _ ”

“ _ That’s right,”  _ said Wuya, a hint of a smirk on her lips lightening her otherwise serious stare. _ “Think of your magic like a geyser. Water’s constantly building, and with a little bit of heat steaming everything up, the water rushes to the surface and explodes everywhere, right? Your bad emotions are like the steam. Enough negativity can trigger the magic to rush up, and it pushes against your skin, giving you that hot and tingly feeling. The burning warns you that you’re about to explode. _ ”

Tala remembered when Chase was hurt, thrown into the willow tree by her magic. She wasn’t about to tell Wuya about it, but she knew exactly what Wuya had meant. Tala had been so anxious the entire week prior, feeling the tingles in her hands every waking moment, until that fateful moment she’d almost killed him. It felt like her entire body was on fire the second her magic rushed out, and tossed Chase as easily as a doll. It really  _ did _ feel like an explosion.

Even the incident with the wall crack came to mind. Tala’s lower back was still sore from ducking and rolling away from the blast. Her injuries would have been far worse, if Chase wasn’t quick enough to shield her. Tala hugged herself just a bit more tightly, guilt about Chase being hurt twice making her tear up.

“ _ That’s only one of the ways our emotions affect our magic _ ,” said Wuya, watching Tala struggle with her inner thoughts, curiously. “ _ You can also make things happen with happy emotions, or even just plain old desire. It depends on what type of spell you want to cast. Though, judging by that guilty look on your face, I’m guessing you’re only used to the defensive kind. _ ”

“ _ Defensive magic _ ?” Tala asked. 

Wuya nodded. 

“ _ That’s why you need to get a good handle on your emotions _ ,” she said. “ _ Your fight-or-flight instincts are very powerful magical triggers. If you constantly feel in danger, then your magic will charge itself to protect you, automatically.” _

“ _ So, I just have to be braver _ ,” said Tala. “ _ I can do that. _ ”

“ _ It’s not about being brave _ ,” said Wuya. “ _ It’s about being able to keep yourself calm, which you’re terrible at. I’m surprised that you didn’t destroy the Temple, all on your own! _ ” 

Tala grumbled, not wanting to admit that she almost did.

“ _ Ha _ ,” said Wuya. “ _ Honestly, I don’t know why I even bothered trying to find you. You’re useless! You only have  _ _ two _ _ abilities, and suck at controlling both of them! _ ”

“ _ Shut up _ ,” Tala snapped. 

“ _ You’re so bad at magic, that I’m surprised the humans are even afraid of you! Guess they’ll call  _ _ anyone _ _ a witch, nowadays _ .”

“ _ SHUT UP _ !”

There was a crackle in the air around them, the entire barrier dome dancing on pins and needles, then a bolt of blue lighting shot straight up from Tala’s hand into the treeline. Both Tala and Wuya jumped back to avoid it as it shot upward, then forked into the sky.

Tala ducked, when twigs and branches scattered around her. She was surprised by how silent it was. When Tala opened her eyes, she saw that all of the snow surrounding her had melted into a perfect ring, and even the grass had turned black. A faint smell of woodsmoke settled into the air, and orange coated the back of Tala’s throat.

“ _Tantrum lightning!_ ” Wuya cried, brushing dead leaves from her hair. “ _It never gets old!_ _Also, the reason I never had children. That was a pretty weak strain, though. I’m sure it’ll get stronger, the more you practice it._ ” 

Tala fought to keep from outright screaming. “ _ Are you serious?! _ ” 

“ _ Man, you failed that test  _ _ quick _ _! _ ” said Wuya. “ _ But, do you see what I mean? You need to learn how to stay calm, if you ever want to learn how to use the more advanced stuff _ .  _ Your fears are holding you back. _ ”

“ _ Why did you do that?! _ ” Tala cried. “ _ What if someone at the Temple saw it?! _ ”

“ _ I didn’t do it,  _ _ you _ _ did _ ,” Wuya corrected her. “ _ Besides, I’m sure it’s fine. It was only a little lighting _ .”

“ _ Lightning without storm clouds _ ?” Tala demanded.

“ _ It can happen _ ,” 

“ _ In winter? _ ” 

“ _ Tala, we’re far enough away that if someone were to see it, they’d probably just think a storm was passing _ ,” said Wuya. “ _ We’re at least five miles away. That’s too far for anyone to really see what’s going on, if they aren’t looking all that hard for it. _ ”

“ _ I hate that I’m starting to believe you _ ,” said Tala. “ _ So, Wuya, if you’re so wise, how do I keep that lightning thing from happening again? _ ”

“ _ Learn to grow a thicker skin, _ ” said Wuya. “ _ Choose who can and can’t hurt you. For example, nothing can make me lose control of my magic, because  _ _ I don’t care _ _ what anyone thinks. _ ”

“ _ You don’t have any family or friends? _ ”

“ _ Witches don’t have friends _ ,” said Wuya. “ _ As for family, you’re all I have left, and we don’t like each other _ .”

Wuya pointed to the sky.

“ _ That, _ ” she said,  _ “is what I like to call ‘breaking you seal.’ Congratulations, you’re a true witch, now.” _

_ “ _ _ That _ _?”  _ Tala asked. _ “Is that it?” _

Wuya smiled. _ “The rest of your powers are going to develop pretty rapidly, from here on in. I’m actually surprised you didn’t break it sooner, being as emotionally unstable as you are.” _

_ “I’m going to ignore that,”  _ grumbled Tala, picking a small leaf out of her hair. 

_ “That little bolt is only the beginning of your true power,”  _ said Wuya _ , “Aside from what you call Push, that emotionally charged lightning is one of the first manifestations of common magic most brats your age get, when their seal finally breaks. So don’t worry, half-breed, you aren’t ‘special’ enough for me to not know how to help you. I can even train you how to channel it into an outright attack, if you want. _ ”

Tala stared up into the trees, watching the stars twinkle through the bare, broken branches. 

“ _ It was so quiet _ ,” said Tala.

“ _ Of course it is _ ,” said Wuya. “ _ That lightning comes from the heat of your magic. Heat doesn’t make sound. _ ” 

“ _ Is that why you tricked me into using it? _ ” Tala snapped.

Wuya smiled. 

“ _ Oh good _ ,” she said, “ _ Maybe you’re not as stupid or useless as I thought. Yes, I knew it would be silent, and I knew we most likely wouldn’t tip anyone off with it. Congratulations, you’re a genius for figuring it out. _ ”

Tala grumbled, playing with the pendant around her neck. She pressed her thumb into one of its corners, and didn't notice how hard she was pressing until it hurt, dimpling her skin. 

“ _ Hey _ ,” said Wuya, nudging Tala’s shoulder with her side. “ _ Stop moping, we have work to do. _ ”

“ _ What ‘work?’ _ ” asked Tala, through her clenched teeth.

“ _ I’m going to teach you something  _ _ really _ _ fun, _ ” said Wuya. 

She stood in front of Tala, and took both of her hands, saying, “ _ Okay, Sparky. Show me what you’ve got. _ ”

“ _ What? _ ” 

“ _ Summon your magic! _ ” said Wuya, excitement bringing a sparkle to the spirals in her eyes. “ _ Show me those fireworks! _ ”

Tala wasn’t quite sure if she liked the idea of calling her sparks ‘fireworks,’ but did her best to make them. There was a snap and a tiny flash of blue, but the spark died the second it was born, fizzling out into woodsmoke. 

Wuya groaned, slapping her forehead. “ _ Come  _ _ on _ _ , Tala! _ ”

Tala yanked her hands away, saying, “ _ It’s not  _ _ my _ _ fault! I don’t know what i’m doing! I don’t even know  how to- _ ”

Tala felt the crackle, before the light danced between her fingers. The tiny sparks of lightning arched over Tala’s palm, and between her fingers, writhing like living spiderwebs. The sensation tickled, instead of burning in the way that Push usually did. 

Tala stiffened, watching Wuya’s scowl twist into a devious grin. She took Tala’s hand again, and held it at her eye level. She said, meeting Tala’s eyes with a serious glint in hers, “ _ Tantrum lightning. You must like being angry _ .” 

Tala gulped, and looked at the sparks in her hand. 

“ _ I  _ _ don’t _ _ , _ ” she whispered, ashamed. “ _ I don’t know why it comes out, like that. _ ”

“ _ You lost your entire family, _ ” said Wuya. “ _ You’re allowed to be angry about it. You came into your power recently, right? _ ”

Tala nodded. “ _ Right after Mama _ …”

She was surprised at how easy it was for her throat to tighten at the mention of Mama. Tala had focused for so long on Papa coming back, that she’d forgotten how much it hurt to remember. She looked down at the sparks in the hand, watching them grow smaller and smaller, as her anger faded into sadness. 

“ _ That’s _ _ why _ ,” said Wuya, sighing. 

She took Tala’s hand, and the sparks disappeared under the warmth of her palm. 

“ _Your magic feeds off of your anger_ ,” she said, facing both of Tala’s palms to the sky, “ _because that’s all it knows._ _I’d say I approve, but but you don’t have the unlimited energy, or a centuries-long grudge to burn, like I do. It’s_ _no wonder_ _you always feel so tired after you use any sort of magic.”_

_ “What are you doing to my hands?” _ asked Tala, suspiciously. 

Wuya shrugged.

_ “You should make it feed off of something else,”  _ she said,  _ “something that will never make you run out of energy. Something that you can use to summon your magic,  _ _ without _ _ needing to feel anger _ .”

“ _ What is it? _ ” asked Tala, looking up at her. 

Wuya’s eyes were heavy-lidded, dreamy even. She said, “ _ Desire. _ ”

Tala gasped, feeling a ripple of energy rise up her arms. The smell of cinnamon touched the air. She felt a little less tired, and everything around her sharpened with a clarity that Tala didn’t realize she was missing. 

“ _ You must think of what spell you desire to control _ ,” said Wuya, “ _ then your magic will do the rest. You need to let yourself have it, and don’t let fear hold you back from getting what you want _ .”

Wuya winked, then turned her back. She bent low, digging into the snow, humming the tune to an old lullaby Tala recognized as one of Meilin’s favorites, one about the moon and the stars dancing together to wake up the sun. Her heart swelled a little, and tears sprang to her eyes suddenly, as she remembered Mama again. 

Tala tried her best to look over Wuya’s shoulder, but whatever she was doing was obscured by the folds of her thick, red curls. Wuya stood, brushing off whatever was in her palms. She turned back to Tala, presenting her hands. They were full of leaves that were all brown and shriveled up.

" _ Pick one _ ," said Wuya.

" _ You have got to be kidding me _ ," Tala grumbled.

" _ Do you want to learn how to summon spells with desire, or do you  _ _ want _ _ to feel permanently exhausted forever? _ " asked Wuya. 

Wuya's face was expressionless, waiting for Tala to make her choice. But when Tala went to pluck the curled leaf at the top, Wuya snapped, " _ Not that one _ ."

Tala went for the one under it, but again Wuya gave a disapproving, " _ Nah _ ."

And again, " _ No _ ."

And once more, " _ Nuh-uh _ ."

Tala snatched her hand back. It burned with dry heat, anger brimming at her fingertips. She bit the inside of her cheek, glaring at Wuya's stupid leaf pile.

" _ Pick _ ," ordered Wuya, offering the leaves, again.

" _ I can't _ ," said Tala, " _ You keep telling me not to choose them! _ "

" _ That's because your choices are wrong _ ," Wuya told her. “ _ Now, stop getting so angry. We’re trying to teach your magic how to relearn your method of summoning it, remember? Pick. I'd personally go for the big, red one _ ."

Tala ground out a sigh, willing the burning in her hands to cool off. It reluctantly obeyed, slinking back from her fingertips like a cat slinking through the shadows.

" _ You said to let myself have what I want _ ," said Tala, plucking the red leaf from Wuya’s hand by its slender stem, " _ What did you mean, exactly? _ "

" _ Look at the leaf _ ," said Wuya, " _ What do you see? _ "

Tala held it up to her face and twirled the stem, slowly, between her fingers. 

" _ A leaf _ ," she admitted, dryly.

" _ No _ ," snapped Wuya, " _ You're seeing the leaf for what it is, not for what it could be! Try again, and this time, focus! _ "

Tala stared at the leaf, squinting. She twirled it again, this way and back, but still only saw a leaf, and nothing more. Frustrated, Tala looked at Wuya, squaring her jaw.

Wuya held it in front of Tala's nose, saying, " _ Look at how it's shaped! Look at the color, and how the veins spread out! Look at the size of it, and how sharp its edges are _ !"

Tala leaned away. Her eyes hurt from having to adjust to looking at the tip of her own nose. She focused on Wuya's face, allowing the leaf to blur into a red mass.

Tala frowned, matching the frustrated bend of her aunt's slender eyebrows, and sharp disapproval in her spiraling eyes. 

" _ It's a leaf, Wuya _ ," Tala snapped, " _ There is nothing else that it can be! _ "

" _ It's a  _ _ weapon _ _! _ " cried Wuya, " _ Anything can be a weapon, if you decide to cram enough magic and imagination into it! Now, hold out your hand and treat it like one! _ "

Wuya shoved the leaf into Tala's chest.

Tala held the leaf with both hands, glaring holes into it. 

" _ This is idiotic _ ," she said.

" _ Just try it _ ."

" _ Fine _ ."

" _ You're not doing anything _ ," said Wuya, after a minute had gone by of Tala glaring at the leaf.

" _ I'm trying to focus! _ " snapped Tala, throwing her hands down to her sides.

" _ Don't  _ _ fouucus _ ," said Wuya, mocking Tala’s accent with a lolling tongue and a roll of her eyes. " _ Just do! _ "

Tala brought her hands back up and looked at the leaf again, shrugging off her anger and disappointment with a roll of her eyes and an uncomfortable shimmy of her shoulders. Her vision blurred, the more frustrated she became, until the heat spilled from her eyes and froze half way down her cheeks.

" _ I can't _ ," Tala whispered, her chin quivering. " _ I just can't see it. _ "

Wuya growled, and held out her hand. 

" _ Here _ ," she sighed, " _ give me your hands. _ "

Wuya's palm was heavy and warm as she supported Tala's trembling fingers. Tala did not even realize that they had gone numb, until the warmth of her aunt's dry, hot skin shocked them back to life. The feeling of Wuya’s magic was reminiscent to a cooking fire, and it danced beneath the protective layer of Wuya's skin like a living thing, careful not to burn Tala with its bite.

The smell of cinnamon wafted from Wuya's hair even more strongly, warming Tala's insides as it filled her nose. The snow beneath them began to melt, revealing the black skeleton leaves and brown grass that were hidden by the white blanket. The circle that had been burned into the grass by Tala’s lightning widened, enclosing them both in a perfect circle of black. Wuya's green eyes were heavy-lidded and sleepy, focused on both everything and nothing.

Tala's own magic reacted. It sparked at her fingertips. She flinched with surprise, but Wuya's hand grabbed her wrist to hold her still. Her claws held pressure, but did not dig deep enough to break the softness of Tala's skin. Wuya's hand glowed green with heat, calling Tala's blue magic to rise with it.

Orange flooded into Tala's mouth, coating her throat and tongue with its tangy sweetness. It mixed with Wuya's cinnamon smell, complimenting each other, and feeding each other's energies. Tala was so entranced by the way their magic began to mix, that she just barely caught the whisper of her aunt's voice.

Tala's eyes flickered up to Wuya's, and the witch's eyes were as bright a green as the spring's first sprout of grass. They dug into Tala's face, waiting for an answer to her question.

" _ Will you choose its new shape _ ," asked Wuya, a second time, " _ or shall I? _ "

" _ I don't know what to do _ ," Tala croaked, as a new wave of cinnamon and orange crawled up the back of her throat.

Wuya looked back down at their hands, and said, " _ I'll choose. You just have to desire. _ "

She sucked in breath, the solemn pucker of her frown drawing in the very essence of the earth around them.

" _ A fan _ ," Wuya called out, " _ picture one in your mind, and  _ _ want _ _ it. Don’t stop wanting it, until you get it. _ "

Tala closed her eyes. Her heart fluttered, and heat jumped up and down her arms, like fish swimming against a current. In her mind's eye, though she could just barely see it, Tala pictured a red fan. It was adorned with gold, and was larger than both of her palms. 

Tala's fingers were on fire, twitching when painful pins dug under her nails. Her palms began to sweat and burn, but she could not move, not while Wuya held her. The cinnamon was so strong in her nose, that Tala began to choke. The taste of her own magic turned against her, the orange gagging and strangling her throat. It clawed up her chest, a sweet and acidic bile that mixed with the rich cinnamon so strongly that Tala thought she would vomit. Her knees buckled.

" _ Let go, Tala, _ " cried Wuya, over the ringing in Tala's ears, " _ Let go! _ "

Tala dropped the leaf and threw herself to the ground, heaving. She coughed up whatever mixture of taste still lingered, though the smell of cinnamon still held her nose captive.

" _ Tala _ ," said Wuya, rubbing Tala's back, " _ Tala, look at me. _ "

Tala lifted her face, still violently shaking against the upheaval threatening to double her over again. Wuya's smile was brittle, but the light of pride added a glow to her eyes.

The color of them, surrounded by the red of her curls, and the dark of her skin, reminded Tala of grass poking out of fresh earth just after it rains. They twinkled in much the same way, too.

" _ You did it, _ " she said, voice swelling. " _ You wanted it a little too much, but.. Look _ ."

Tala lifted her trembling hands to receive what Wuya held out to her. Though folded, Tala could see the red of the fan poking out between two slender, long pieces of polished blackwood.

" _ Open it, _ " Wuya encouraged her with a toothy grin, and an excited bob of her head.

Tala's eyes darted up to Wuya, unsure, then back to the fan in her hand. She flicked it open, and had to stand on shaky legs, to take in the sight of the fan in its full glory.

It was just as Tala had imagined it: Suspended between two blocks of blackwood, the large fan was made out of fine, red silk. Though plain, it was beautiful. What the fan had lacked in design, it made up for in lightness of weight. A hardened tip of gold-plated iron lined its edge, slicing Tala's finger when she lightly ran the tip of it across the blade. Tala sucked on the small wound, but was unbothered.

" _ It  _ _ is _ _ a weapon _ ," she whispered, to herself. A smile slowly clawed its way across Tala's face. Excitedly, she turned to Wuya, holding her new creation close, exclaiming, " _ It's a fighter's fan! _ "

Wuya folded her arms, and smiled smugly.

" _ I told you _ ," she said, " _ You just had to let yourself have it. _ "

" _ I feel like I nearly died _ ,” said Tala. “ _ That was no better than summoning magic with my anger! _ ”

“ _ Because you let your magic take control of you, instead of taking control of it, _ ” said Wuya. “T _ hat’s the one thing that’s dangerous about summoning through pure desire. If you aren’t careful, you’ll be consumed by it. Magic is a greedy little thing. Give it an inch, and it will try to take ten miles. That’s why you need to have a channeler for your magic, until you get a better grip on summoning by yourself. _ ”

“ _ That sounds dangerous _ ,” said Tala, tossing the fan into the air. She made a game of catching it behind her back, landing in the Warrior’s Stance, and tossing it again to catch it in another. 

Wuya huffed, smirking at Tala as she said, " _ At least you have something to channel your magic through, now. You’ll have an easier time practicing while I’m not around, and it will help soften the blow of the energy loss you suffer, while using spells. _ ”

Tala twirled the open fan on her finger, juggling it from one had to the other. She tossed it into the air again, and spun, catching it. Wuya snatched it closed, glaring Tala straight in the eye. 

" _ Don't cut yourself,” _ she said, letting go of the fan. _ “This is a tool, not a toy. If you were listening to a word I’ve been saying, you’d know that. Now that your seal is broken, you’ll want to take things a bit more seriously. _ "

Tala rolled her eyes. She inspected the handles, lightly tracing the word that was etched into the wood: ‘Tala’

Tala smiled. 

“ _ Okay, little girl, _ ” said Wuya. “ _ What did we learn, today? _ ”

“ _ Negative emotions are like geysers _ ,” said Tala, “ _ so don’t let people get to you, or you’ll explode. _ ”

“ _ I’ll take it, _ ” said Wuya, shrugging. “ _ What else?” _

_ “This is stupid,”  _ said Tala,  _ “Why are you making me repeat everything?” _

_ “Because I want to make sure you remember, so you won’t get yourself killed,”  _ said Wuya. _ “What else?” _

Tala rolled her eyes with a huff, saying,  _ “Magical lightning doesn’t make sound, and summoning with desire is supposedly better than summoning with anger -even though  _ _ I _ _ think it hurts  _ _ much _ _ worse-” _

Wuya shrugged. “ _ Meh. What else?” _

_ “...and my new fan is really,  _ _ really _ _ cool?” _

Wuya's expression soured, practically snarling, she asked, _ “ What  _ _ else _ _?” _

_ “What do you mean ‘what else?’,”  _ asked Tala, _ “There  _ _ is _ _ no ‘what else!’” _

Tala gasped, when Wuya placed both hands on her shoulders, looking her directly in the eye with a serious expression.

_ “Our magic comes from the Celestial gods,”  _ said Wuya.  _ “We have the power to tear down kingdoms, and stop even the seasons from changing, so you should never let anyone make you feel anything less than powerful. Just remember, you can simply crush them with the heel of your palm if you wanted to, and you’ll  _ _ never _ _ have to be afraid of humans, again. That’s what I’ve been trying to teach you this entire time! All those history lessons,  _ _ all _ _ my training, they lead back that single truth. And, now that you’ve broken your seal, I can finally teach you  _ _ everything _ _ a witch needs to know about Heylin magic.” _

Tala’s heart swelled a little. She looked away from Wuya’s uncharacteristically kind smile, not sure what to say, or if she even should have felt that little glimmer of pride she had at Wuya’s words. 

" _ You said that if I did well with the lesson, you would tell me how to return the Xiaolin’s lost magic, _ " Tala reminded Wuya, clenching the hem of her robe between her fingers.

Wuya's smile dropped. 

" _ After all that excitement _ ," she admitted, pulling Tala down to sit with her on the ground, " _ I didn't think you'd remember. _ "

" _ I'm persistent _ ," Tala clipped as she settled herself onto the ground, folding her legs. " _ As the Wind monk, I’m the Keeper of Fortitude. I don't give up on the things I want very easily. _ "

" _ That's called being stubborn _ ," Wuya corrected Tala, " _ but, I'll give it to you. _ "

" _ The answer, _ " insisted Tala, " _ if you please _ ."

Wuya groaned loudly before sighing. 

" _ Ugh, I guess I  _ _ did _ _ say I would, _ ” she said. “ _ Fine, you win. I’ll tell you _ ."

Satisfied, Tala smiled.

" _ Don't look so smug _ ," Wuya warned, sweetly cooing, " _ or I'll tear off that silly smile of yours with my bare hands. _ "

Tala relaxed her smirk, but the warm feeling in her chest still tickled. 

" _ After your mother and I took the Xiaolin Dragons' magic, _ " Wuya began her tale, " _ we cursed them: Only when all four of the Dragons sacrificed the one thing they held most precious to them, would magic be returned to the Elemental Cycle. _ "

" _ Why curse them? _ " asked Tala. " _ Why give them that chance to redeem themselves, at all? _ "

" _ Because it’s fun~ _ " said Wuya, tapping Tala’s nose with her finger. " _ Your mother and I knew that they would never do it. Humans, at their very core, are a self-preserving race. Just like magic itself, they are inherently selfish. That's why humans were never meant to have magic, to begin with. It's like throwing dry parchment onto a fire! Everything gets eaten up, until nothing is left but the ashes. Once that stupid Light Monk gave it to them, they went around destroying everything else magical that didn’t belong to them, and took what  _ _ we _ _ had to make their own, and claimed that getting rid of us was for the greater good, or whatever.” _

_ “You keep saying that,”  _ said Tala.

_ “Yeah, because the Xiaolin Sorcerers were idiots for giving magic to humans in the first place, the traitors,”  _ snapped Wuya.  _ “Why do you think you’ve never met another witch, aside from your mother and me? The humans tried to wipe us all out, and keep magic for themselves! The only good thing to come out of the whole thing is that humans are consistent in their greediness. After trying to get rid of us, they went out and conquered each other, which forced the Xiaolin Masters to take the magic back, and just leave it to their chosen monks, proving time and time again that the one will never  _ _ actually _ _ sacrifice for the good of many, not if they can help their own slimy carcasses instead. Most humans live by the Heylin code, yet they run in fear at the  _ _ very mention _ _ of the word! It’s hypocritical! _ "

“ _ They do not _ !” Tala snapped, “ _ Not the humans that  _ _ I _ _ know _ !”

“ _ You know very few humans, then _ ,” said Wuya. 

“ _ Or  _ _ you’ve _ _ only met the worst kind _ ,” said Tala.

“ _ Tala _ ,” said Wuya, “ _ Every _ _ human is the worst kind. If you don’t believe me, try asking another witch. Oh, wait! You can’t! Most of them are dead! You’d have to travel to the furthest reaches of the earth to find another one, and that witch is probably just another half-breed, like you.  _ _ That’s _ _ what humans did to us. We don’t have clans or homes anymore. We’re forced to either wander around, or hide in the crevices of caves and the shadows of ruins. I’m probably the last pure Sorceress left, and it’s all the Xiaolin’s fault! _ ”

“ _ You really blame the Xiaolin for the humans wiping out the witches _ ?” asked Tala. “ _ They couldn’t have known, could they? _ ”

“ _ I blame them for a lot of things _ ,” said Wuya, sourly. “ _ I wasn’t alive when the Celestials ruled, but I almost wish I was. I bet it was way better than living on the run, like this. Once I bring the Heylin back into full power, the humans will wish that they had  _ _ never _ _ tried to bite off more magic than they could chew. They need to learn a lesson. _ ”

“ _ But  _ _ only _ _ the Xiaolin Warriors have magic, now- or, they  _ _ did _ _.. _ ” said Tala. “ _ If the Xiaolin Sorcerers fixed their mistake by giving it only to them, why _ -”

“ _ Because it isn’t good enough _ !” cried Wuya. “ _ I watched my people die! I’ve wandered around, hiding like a rat, for centuries! I want my revenge! I want the humans to bow to me! I  _ _ deserve _ _ to rule the world! It’s my  _ _ right _ _ , as the last true-born witch! I have the power of the gods inside of me! I should be  _ _ worshiped _ _ , not hunted!  _ _ WE _ _ SHOULD BE WORSHIPED! _ ”

Tala fell back onto her hands, leaning away from Wuya as she pounded her fists into the ground. Two holes were left by her fists, cracking the earth around them. She sat there, heaving. Wuya’s eyes were wild, practically glowing with an inner, green fire. 

Tala’s heart sank. She wasn’t sure why Wuya’s anger didn’t make her feel as afraid as before, but it certainly made her feel sad. She knew what it was like to watch someone she loved die, and to be angry at someone else for it.

“ _ Wuya _ -”

Wuya flinched, almost seeming like she didn’t know where she was for a second, before clearing her throat. She smoothed her hair back, and stood up. 

“ _ You should go _ ,” she said, quietly. “ _ Think about what I’ve just told you. We were never meant to bow to the humans, they were meant to bow to  _ _ us _ _. It’s the Xiaolin’s fault that they don’t, and that we’ve been tossed to the side of history, like rubbish. _ ”

Tala covered her eyes as the sun began to blink its red eye at them between the trees. Her throat ran dry and she leapt up, kicking snow around in her haste. She took a quick glance over her shoulder at Wuya, who just stared at Tala as she ran, her green eyes seemingly haunted, filled with ghosts of the past. 


	21. Chapter 21

Twenty-one_The Allegiance of Old Gods

"That went well," a voice, slow as the crawl of the wind that rustled the leaves at Wuya's feet, murmured. 

"She'll come around," Wuya assured him, keeping her eyes fixed on Tala, as she disappeared through the brush. "Not everyone has a silver tongue, like yours. Besides, Tala's not an idiot. She understands that this is what's best for her. It’s why she keeps coming back to me."

"Your girl is about a slip up, and one panic attack away from ruining everything," said Hannibal Bean. "But, in spite of your little spiel about having the magic of old gods, my faith in your abilities to properly train her is shaky. If you can't handle Tala, I have a few ideas of my own to get her to come to the decision we need her to make."

"And they all have something to do with that little project of yours, I'm guessing," harrumphed Wuya, feeling a shiver run up her spine at the thought. "No chance. I already told you. She’s not the one you’re after, even if her pretty boy friend might already be a part of your prophecy.” 

Wuya bent down, offering Hannibal her open palm. He accepted, muttering a "Much obliged," and hopped on. He brushed aside a lock of her red curls to make an open space on Wuya's shoulder to sit upon.

"She's stubborn," said the bean, chuckling while he settled himself, "but that doesn't mean she's not the Pearl. Tala Bao has Heylin blood running through her veins, yet the Scroll of Ages still chose her to become the next Wind Monk. Face it: your niece is the closest thing we have to completing the prophecy."

Wuya puckered her lips and decided to change the subject, twirling a curl behind her ear on the opposite side of where the old goat was sitting.

"The closest thing  _ you _ have, you mean,” she clipped. “I’m not a part of this. I just want what belongs to me.”

"How are you so sure it's  _ not  _ her?" asked Hannibal. "Perhaps the guilt over what happened to Shion is clouding your judgement. Fond memories getting the better of you, Wuya?"

"I don't do guilty," she reminded him, flatly. "Besides, even if the prophecy says that one born of the Heylin would be called to the Xiaolin side, Tala doesn’t act all that Heylin. She’s more like a wild rabbit caught in a cage, all curled up and shaking, waiting for  _ daddy _ to come and find her."

Feeling rather prickly, she added, "By the way,  _ your _ spoiled brat is too reckless. There is  _ no way _ he's the other half of the prophecy. I think you’re as far away from getting your body back as you’ve ever been. The only thing I think you’ve accomplished, here, is clumsily play matchmaker. I hope she breaks his heart, so I can laugh in your face when it’s all over."

"Best hope you're wrong, Wuya," the bean clipped, sounding rather prickly himself. "Chase Young is a lot more aware than he lets on, and is already showing signs of turning dark. I will hardly have to lift a finger, if you'll pardon my poor choice of analogies, to lure the boy to the Heylin way."

"I don't care how corruptible he is," Wuya snapped. 

She felt restlessness tickle her ankles, and began to fidget on her toes. She decided to stretch her legs, and hopped onto a fallen log, tiptoeing across it effortlessly. Hannibal Bean's bird tailed them, weaving between the branches above Wuya's head suspiciously.

"That kid has no business making eyes at my niece," Wuya added, as memories that she would have rather forgotten began to resurface. "It'll be like her mother all over again, and I'm not putting up with it, a second time! My bloodline’s been diluted enough!"

Wuya jumped down onto the opposite bank, and watched as the Ying-Ying bird flew ahead of them, screeching after a stray bat that was unlucky enough to not find shelter in the approaching dawn.

"Chase Young is the closest we have  _ ever  _ come to finding a monk powerful enough to complete the light-to-dark half of the prophecy," Hannibal insisted, slowly speaking to her as he would to a child. "He's far closer than your girl is to the light, anyway. She’s too focused on seeing ‘Papa’ again, to want to help the Xiaolin. Not to mention she's so terrified of turning out like her mother, that I fear that she may become self-destructive, and ruin all of our careful planning. Tala appears far more interested in just keeping hidden and finding her father, than she does in either helping or hurting the Heylin. She has no interest in this at all, other than her own survival."

"I'd blame the Masters," Wuya said.

"Her peers’ fears and expectations of Tala’s magic have pushed the girl away from forming a proper bond with the Xiaolin," Hannibal Bean told her, a hint of a warning in his slow drawl. "This is not a good thing, Wuya, and your darkening the Xiaoin’s name with all that talk of the humans’ ancient conquests through their magic is not helping the matter. You’re lucky that she’s come to admire the Grand Master. She even blesses him with  _ Jo _ ."

“What?!” Wuya snapped. “She doesn’t even use  _ Jo  _ on  _ me _ ! After Everything I taught her! How ungrateful!”

“My point is,” said Hannibal, “that you very well may actually lose Tala to Grand Master Wei, if you are not careful. I am not the only one searching for the Crown and Pearl, and he seems to be making an advancement in luring her to his side already, by playing into her fears. You need to do the opposite. Play into the power she can gain from our side, and like you said, she will never have to fear the humans again.” 

“I hope this works,” grumbled Wuya. “I hate kids. I wish we waited a bit longer.”

“Children are more trusting,” said Hannibal, his upper lip twitching. “It’s easier to try to influence her now, before Grand Master Wei gets his claws into her, than it will be after she’s a fully-realized Xiaolin Monk. If you really want to regain the power you lost with your sister’s death, you’d see the opportunity in this and get serious. Tala may very well reject you completely, if Grand Master Wei finds a way to sneak her under his thumb, the same he has with Chase.”

"That shouldn’t matter, then," Wuya insisted, fed up with the bean's chiding. "If that’s the case, then we shouldn’t have a problem. Unless, you think you can’t really turn the boy.”

Hannibal Bean growled. She could feel him vibrate where he sat in the groove between her neck and collarbone. 

“I don’t see why you’re getting angry,” said Wuya, “ _ I’m _ the one who should be upset. Tala’s too immature to understand why the humans  _ aren’t _ her friends! I even told her about the war, and she  _ still _ didn’t want to listen to me!”

“Well, they  _ did _ take her in,” said Hannibal. “She may be afraid of being noticed for the wrong reasons, but Tala has sense enough not to bite the hand that feeds her. If I didn’t know any better, and I  _ do _ , I’d say she’s warming up to the Grand Master, purely for her own protection.”

Wuya rolled her eyes. “No, she’s just  _ that _ dumb, to ignore everything that I’ve been trying to tell her.”

“You keep underestimating her,” said Hannibal. “Though, it’s hard to blame you. She  _ is _ only a child, and a child who wants to  _ protect  _ the person who has been protecting her. Tala naturally won’t listen to you if you keep insulting Grand Master Wei, whether you’re telling the truth or not.” 

“This is why I hate kids,” Wuya huffed. “They place the wrong people up on pedestals.”

“Maybe if you spoke with a little more grace, she wouldn’t have clung to the Grand Master over you,” snapped Hannibal. 

“How I speak is fine!” said Wuya. “I’m the only other person who speaks her language!”

Hannibal Bean said nothing, and Wuya felt a little itchy in the silence.

“Tala’s already a part of the Xiaolin, anyway,” she said, rolling her eyes. “That's all the prophecy calls for. They've done half of the work for you, by making her a monk. The rest should be easy, since Tala’s too stupid to trust any of them but the old man, and  _ they’re _ too stupid to fix that. All  _ we  _ have to do is convince Tala that helping us is her safest option...She’s just so hooked on her father coming back for her that the brat can’t see what I’m offering! If only she knew, then she wouldn’t be so cheeky!"

“And where  _ is  _ her father?” asked Hannibal. 

Wuya smiled.

"Since we’re on the subject of your niece,” he said, chuckling at her silence, “mind filling me in on why you told her how to reclaim the Xiaolin's lost magic?"

“I don’t need to tell you!” said Wuya. “We’re only working together, so far as to get Tala to trust me, remember?”

“Are we keeping secrets from each other, now?” clipped the bean, the frays of his oil-slick accent dripping with disdain. 

"We may have the same goal," she said, biting the edge of her words, “but that doesn’t mean I have to tell you about my personal plans.”

Hannibal Bean grew solemn.

"You do realize that you have just made yourself a target for your enemies,” he said. “If that girl talks-"

"She won't," Wuya interrupted, quickly. “The only good thing about her paranoia is that Tala won’t tell them anything about the Heyin side of her family. Besides, it's like I told Tala: most humans are selfish. Not once will they ever sacrifice what they want for the sake of the collective, not when it means giving up their precious self-preservation. They won’t be able to break the curse, even if Tala somehow squeals."

“The perfect curse," mused Hannibal, appreciatively. "Too bad it won't work."

Wuya stopped in her tracks, curling her fingers when heat flashed through her hands. She sucked in breath, reminding herself, 'Not yet.'

"How so?" she asked, whistling through her teeth. Wuya offered him her palm again, and brought Hannibal Bean around to look her in the face.

"Times are changing, Wuya," said Hannibal, his serious voice mismatching the cruel smile on his ugly, little face. "Magic is beginning to seep out of our hands and back into the ground. Nature's taking back what we've once borrowed from her. Your curse won't hold its effect much longer, even if the current Dragons can't break it."

"Why don't I believe you?" asked Wuya, tilting her head.

"It'll stick for a few more centuries," Hannibal dismissed with a wave of a tentacle, "but the rocks and the trees will swallow it up again, just as they always do."

"If that's true," clipped Wuya, "then what about the Xiaolin? The magic I stole is running through my veins, stronger than it's ever been."

"Newer energy has a longer lifespan," he said, with a snide upturn of his withering lips. "It'll last for two thousand years, at best. Then, you'll be just as mundane as those humans you hate so much."

"Like a  _ Zeiyo _ ," snorted Wuya. “How ridiculous!”

The lack of sleep must have finally caught up with her, for Wuya to have still had the mind to listen to this garbage!

"The humans are taking over," warned Hannibal with the cock of a sneaky, hairless eyebrow. “Even without magic, they’re spreading their filth, like a disease, killing the planet and anyone standing in their way.”

“-You don’t need to remind me of that-”

"The old gods and their children no longer have a place among them,” ground Hannibal, snipping his words over her interruption. “The time of the witches,  _ your _ time, is over."

Fire rushed up Wuya's back and flooded her face. It steeled her shoulders into iron rods. 

"Who said that we don't have a place?" she spat, " _ I'm _ still alive, and I will make them all bow down to me for what they’ve done to us!"

"Oh, really?"

"I'll die fighting," swore Wuya, "but I'll take every last one of those Xiaolin morons down with me. I just need that Scroll of Ages, and I’ll be able to destroy their entire line!"

"That's mighty brave of you, Wuya, truly," said Hannibal, inspecting one of his tentacles nonchalantly, "but, if my assumptions of these two children are true, then many of us will lose our magic, and even our very lives, when this prophecy is fulfilled."

He looked back up at her, smiling coyly. 

"Are you prepared to lose the last of your clan," he asked with a wide, disgusting smile, "just so you can see what the end of the world looks like?"

Wuya scoffed.

“ _ I _ have nothing to lose," Hannibal Bean reminded her, his face and voice darkening with frustration. "I’ve already lost my body and magic. The only thing left is my immortality. But  _ you _ ? Are you willing to let go of Tala, when the time comes?"

" _ Pah-lease _ !" she laughed. "You’re just trying to get me to chicken out so you can pick up the pieces without me. Not a chance, buddy. You're stuck with me. I'm seeing this thing to the end, whether you like it or not. I'm not some dumb kid that you can just hound with your little mind games."

"I'm just looking out for you, the last of your kind!" stated the bean, false sympathy rounding out the vowels of his slithering, slow accent. "To think about it, it's almost poetic. A shame to ruin it, and get yourself killed."

“Think about it?" mocked Wuya, placing Hannibal back onto her shoulder. "And, what, leave you to rule the world, solo? I don't think so."

"No," the bean growled, " _ not _ solo."

"Right," clipped Wuya, unimpressed, "that friend of yours. Am I meeting this guy, or what?"

She pushed away some thick overhanging brush, and weaved her way through the tangles of the thorn bushes, unfazed by the snags in her dress and the scratches in her skin. 

"Someday soon, I hope," she added, grunting when she yanked free the hem of her sleeve that had found itself a very affectionate branch to cling to, "I'm getting tired of waiting."

"Not so soon, I’m afraid," admitted Hannibal, "but, I'm preparing for his arrival, as we speak."

"Is this 'friend' really as powerful as you claim he is?"

"Powerful enough to give me a new body," hummed Hannibal, "and you too, should you find yourself in a bit of trouble, later on."

"For your sake," clipped Wuya, unamused by his secrecy, "I hope that's true. That ugly mug of yours needs to go. Badly."

"Very funny."

"Hey, I'm not the one who messed around with the Warrior of Light, then had to possess a garden-variety vegetable to stay alive," she said, shielding her eyes from the sun, when they broke into the clearing.

"I had powers of the likes that your pea-brain cannot even comprehend," Hannibal Bean's voice was as cold as the wind sending a flush into Wuya's cheeks, and the snow that nipped at the flat side of her feet, "and when I have a body again, I'll retest those powers on you! Show your elder some respect!"

"Operative word being  _ had _ ," Wuya reminded him, just as unimpressed by his threat as she was with this mysterious friend of his. 

"You're just as _ mundane _ as the rest of 'em, Bean," she said, mocking him with his own words. "Guess the old gods really are washed up."

"Speaking of mundane," Hannibal quickly said. 

Wuya felt a smile tug at her mouth, impressed by how fast the old goat could change his mood. 

Slithering on with his silver tongue, the bean said, quietly, "how do you suggest finding our way around the Xiaolin's Grand Master? He has his eunuch on our little proteges at all hours of the day. I'm honestly surprised that you, out of the two of us, have yet to be caught."

"Grand Master Wei's nothing to worry about," dismissed Wuya. "I've been sneaking around here night after night without a single problem. All of these fools are oblivious.”

"I'd give the old Master more credit than that, Wuya," instructed Hannibal, adding a thickened weight to his words. "Wei's  _ warriors _ may be incompetent morons, but he isn't. As I said before, he is also looking for the Crown and Pearl. Chase is already under his influence, and Tala is well on her way to being fully indebted to him with her life.”

Wuya's heart dropped, but she recovered it quickly, swallowing the dryness in her throat. 

"I'm well aware of that," she reminded him. “The only reason Tala’s still alive is because he made her a monk.”

"Grand Master Wei is strategic," continued Hannibal, the smugness in his voice telling Wuya that he knew exactly just how uncomfortable he had made her. "He's pushed your niece and my prodigy together for a reason. Do  _ not _ underestimate him."

"That will be his downfall," Wuya snapped darkly, curling her hands against the fire that begged to pinch Bean between her fingers and slowly squeeze until he popped. "Trying to influence Tala will be the last thing he does, once she gets close enough to him to hand  _ me _ the Scroll of Ages.”

She didn’t like the sound of Hannibal’s quiet chuckle.

“And what makes you think that Tala will just give it to you?” he asked. “Even if you told her  _ why  _ you the placed that curse on the Xiaolin Dragons, I doubt Tala would believe you enough to turn on the old man.”

“She will,” Wuya insisted. “I’ll tell her, tonight. if she doesn’t, I still have one more thing that I can use to convince her.”

“And what is  _ that _ ?”

Wuya clicked her tongue. “That’s another thing you don’t need to know. Like I said, it’s my personal business… And anyway, aren't  _ you _ the one underestimating Grand Master Wei, here? What about Chase? Shouldn't you warn him about what the Grand Master is doing?"

"No," said Hannibal, cheerfully. "I'll wait a bit longer. I can use Wei's deceit to our advantage. Harden the blow when the time comes for Chase to see just how much the Xiaolin has been using him."

The Ying-Ying bird swooped down, plucking Hannibal Bean from Wuya's shoulder in a rush of wind and feathers. He circled Wuya's head twice before hovering above her. It was a daunting task for the bird as it hobbled up and down, struggling to stay aloft.

"I still don't see why we can't just fill them in on the plan," Wuya huffed, annoyed with herself for whining, but the suggestion still needed to be said. "It would be  _ so _ much easier to get Tala to trust me, if I-"

"Just convince her to help you steal the Scroll of Ages from the Jade Circle," Hannibal Bean bit, like an angry dog. "Use her bond with the Grand Master to our advantage. Once you destroy the Scroll of Ages,  and take over the Xiaolin Temple, there will be no one to stop us from using those children to fulfill the prophecy, and end the Xiaolin Dragon line forever!”

Wuya rolled her eyes, and waved him off. 

"Fine, fine," she said, "but if something goes wrong-"

"Just stick to the plan," Hannibal insisted, "and everything will be just fine. All I ask is that you uphold your end of destroying the Scroll of Ages, and do  _ exactly _ as I say.”

Wuya rolled her eyes and watched as the bird flew off. His master laughed maniacally as they disappeared into the rising sun. What she would have given for a rock and a slingshot, but for now, Wuya was content with muttering curses under her breath.


	22. Chapter 22

Twenty-two_The Scroll of Ages 

Master Young was unusually late to sunrise training being held at the Sands that morning.  

Chase and Guan had already started, kicking up snow and spraying sand with hit-after-hit of their bo staffs. Chase, in particular, was thoroughly enjoying himself, dodging nearly every one of Guan’s blows with ease. He slid under Guan’s side swipe, then kicked Guan’s feet from under him with a cocky grin. 

“Come on, buddy, I know you can do better than that!” he goaded.

Guan did not partake in the banter, instead keeping his focus with a hardened expression. He somersaulted backward and landed effortlessly, a feat that mesmerized Tala as she and Dashi watched them from the sidelines. 

Dashi fidgeted with his broken shoulder beside Tala, shifting it a little beneath his jacket with an uncomfortable grunt. She wondered if he was cold, since Dashi was bare-chested beneath the black jacket. She watched his jaw tighten, thinking about just how much pain he must have been in. It worried her a little, especially since Dashi was looking on the pale side. 

Tala snuck a bolder peek at him, and darted her eyes away just as quickly, when Dashi shot her an annoyed side-glace. 

“You could stay home,” she said, quietly. Her cheeks turned bright red, as she stammered, “To fight is bad idea, for you. Why did you come?”

Dashi grunted, watching Chase and Guan spar with a dark glint in his puffy eyes. There were dark circles beneath them, too.  

“Can’t sneak out, either,” he said.

Tala played with the hem of her robe, and looked back to the fight.

Guan dodged a kick, and grabbed Chase’s foot. He swung Chase in the air, and it almost looked like he would slam the smaller boy into the ground, but Chase kneed Guan in the chin with his free leg, and made a clean landing. 

“A-at least you come to class,” Tala offered, her eyes following Chase as he charged Guan again. “That is good, yes?”

“Just stop talking, Short Stuff,” Dashi grumbled, his eyes also following Chase. 

Chase and Guan were back at it with their staffs, glaring at each other like two mountain rams brawling over a ewe. Guan pushed Chase away roughly, breaking the stand-off. 

“Foul, boo,” Dashi heckled half-heartedly, cupping his good hand over the side of his mouth. “Illegal moves.”

“Not think they can hear you,” Tala said, earning another glare from Dashi. 

Tala blushed deeply, her cheeks growing so hot that a haze came over her eyes.

“I-I,” she stammered, “Sorry.. Ah- wanted to ask…”

He looked back at the fight with tired eyes, not really acknowledging her. Tala swallowed, feeling like her tongue was swelling. She took a deep breath, and tried again.

“What would you do.. If-if-”

Dashi’s glance was harsh, but his eyes only stayed on Tala for a second. He seemed more intent on watching the fight, but Tala didn’t want to give up. 

All she could think about, since speaking last night with Wuya, was breaking the curse. Tala thought Dashi would be a friendly place to start asking, but now realizing the mistake, she struggled to find the best words to help salvage the conversation from her stupidity. 

Tala felt so silly, getting so worked up about asking. She tried again, this time with a nervous giggle, angry with herself for not finding the words she needed fast enough. 

Dashi tensed beside her, as Tala giggled and sputtered, her face growing redder and redder by the second.

“Spit it out, Short Stuff,” he growled, eyes darting back and forth as he continued to watch Chase and Guan spar. 

Tala squeaked so fast that she hardly recognized her own words, let alone knowing if Dashi could understand her, “What would you do with magic!?”

Dashi’s eyes widened a little, though he still watched the fight. When the initial surprise seemed to wear off, and his eyes dropped back down to heavy lids, Dashi answered her. “Travel.”

“O-oh..” 

Tala shifted awkwardly, looking at her hands. Well, it was a start. No plans to hunt down and murder witches from Dashi, at least. 

Dashi cupped his free hand at the side of his mouth, again. This time he called out a little louder, but with hardly any enthusiasm,“Chase, stop showing off for Tala.”

Tala hadn’t been paying attention, but by now Chase had been doing several flashy tricks with his staff, playing around with Guan. After Dashi spoke, however, Chase fumbled with his staff, just barely catching it, and hit himself in the face. Guan laughed loudly, as Chase and Dashi glared at each other from across the sand circle. 

Tala shrunk into her shoulders, grumbling, “Pumpkinseed Head, you are acting mean.”

Dashi’s side-eye to her was a bit friendlier, this time. The faintest smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. 

“Hey, Tala,” Chase called, waving her over. “Why don’t you drop that loser, and come spar with me?”

“He is not a-” Tala called, but Dashi nudged her shoulder.

He winked at her when Tala looked at him, red faced. 

“Your boyfriend’s calling,” Dashi teased. “Go. Have fun before Master Young comes back to ruin it. I’ll be fine.”

“Not my boyfriend,” she said. “You are lucky. Broken shoulder means I cannot hit you for being a Pumpkinseed Head.”

Dashi laughed, then instantly winced, holding his elbow. Tala’s expression softened, watching Dashi’s face fall. When he noticed her staring, Dashi waved Tala off impatiently with his good hand. 

“Go, already!” he snapped. 

Tala’s eyes lingered on Dashi, before she jogged over to Chase and Guan. Guan handed Tala his staff with a small smile. Tala returned it, accepting the staff, and Guan left the circle to her and Chase.

Chase pat the top of Tala’s head like a drum, excitedly. Tala waved his hands away, growling. Chase laughed at her, letting one hand linger to ruffle Tala’s bangs, before taking his place opposite of her. 

“Ready to spar?” he asked. 

Tala smoothed her hair down, nodding. “Let us go.”

They took their positions, open palms facing one another. 

“Ready,” called Guan. “...Fight!”

Chase closed in fast. Tala had barely enough time to block him with her staff, as Chase came down hard. Their staffs clapped against each other loudly as Tala blocked each advancement Chase made. 

Clack! Clack! Clack!  _ Clack _ !

He kept backing Tala up to the edge, until her foot slipped into the snow with a soft crunch. 

Chase backed off, folding his hands, when Guan called the first point in his favor. 

Tala’s palms and blood boiled, as she watched his back turn to her. Chase returned to his starting position and smirked at Tala, challenging her to face him again with a flick of his fingers. 

Tala stomped back over, practically feeling the steam rise up from her ears. She mirrored Chase, and Guan called for the fight again. 

“Chase,” Tala snapped, when her staff met his, “need to ask something.”

Chase grunted when she brought her staff up to block his next attack. 

“Oh yeah?” he asked. “What?”

“What-” clack! “Would you-” Clack! “Do-” Clack! “With magic?” CLACK!

Chase backed off suddenly, but the damage was already done. He had hit a little too hard in his surprise, and Tala’s staff fell from her hands. It landed in the sand, spraying a little onto Tala’s feet. 

Tala glared at him, folding her arms. 

“Serious?” she asked. “It was just a question!”

“Sorry,” said Chase, bending to pick it up for her. He handed it back to Tala, saying, “The word you were looking for is  _ seriously _ , and you just caught me off guard a little.”

Tala snatched the staff from him, and they moved back to their starting positions for the final time, Guan calling the point in Chase’s favor. 

“So?” Tala asked, as they waited for Guan to call. 

Chase didn’t meet her eyes.

He said, “I guess I still have to think about it.”

“You are  _ seriously _ ?” she said, just quiet enough for the others not to hear her from across the sand circle. “You ask to learn all the time!”

Keeping his eyes cast downward, Chase said, “That’s not how you say that.” 

“ _ Ceuyao,”  _ she snarled.

Guan called for them to start. 

Tala came at Chase, this time. She let out a yell, bringing her staff down as hard as she could. Chase blocked it easily, and forced Tala to break, spinning her away from him with a swing of his arm. 

“What’s your problem?!” he cried. 

“Stop going easy!” Tala shouted. “I want to fight you, not play!”

“You’re not ready,” Chase snapped. “Look at you, you didn’t even land in the right stance!”

Tala wobbled on her back foot, growling. She sprang, swinging her staff. 

Chase dodged that, and the swing after. Tala’s staff whistled through the air with every blow she couldn’t land. Finally making a hit, Tala pushed against Chase with all of her strength, gritting her teeth with a held-back yell. It rumbled in her throat, all the way down into her stomach. 

Chase was nearly unmovable. He hardly needed to push back, not until his feet slipped. Chase was skilled enough in his footwork to recover, and pressed back on Tala doubly what she was trying to dish out. 

Tala practically flew, unable to catch herself with the same amount of grace. If it weren't for her heels digging into the sand, Tala would have fallen hard onto the ground. 

“You want me to stop going easy on you?!” Chase asked, red faced and near to the point of shouting. “You’re far from reaching my level, Tala! I’m hardly even a speck on the horizon to you! By the rate you’ve been going, you’ll never catch up to the rest of us. Just stick to what you know: moping around and waiting for  _ daddy _ to come and find you!”

Tala ran at Chase, again. Stick to what she knows? She  _ would _ , alright. Tala swung her staff toward Chase’s feet, willing her Push to run through it. 

When Chase jumped to dodge, his ankles hit an invisible wall. He toppled over her staff. Tala moved just in the nick of time, before he fell on top of her. Chase flipped himself over quickly, spitting sand from his mouth. He wiped the stray grains from his chin. 

“You absolute brat!” Chase growled, when Tala dropped her staff beside him with a heavy thud. “That was a dirty trick!”

Unlike him, the other two boys didn’t seem to realize that Tala had used magic to get the better of Chase. Their laughter rose up behind them, as Tala glared down at her opponent. 

“You cannot make me feel powerless, anymore,” Tala hissed. “ _ No person _ can.” 

Chase’s glare turned to surprise. He looked at her, open-mouthed, but said nothing. 

“Oh man, she sure showed you, _ Golden Boy, _ ” Dashi called, bursting out into a fit of laughter. “That’s what you get for being a cocky jerk!”

“What poor luck,” tsked Guan, chuckling. “Doesn’t Master Young keep telling you to pay more attention to your opponents, and less to your ego?”

Chase didn’t seem to hear them. He picked himself up, reaching out for Tala with hurt in his eyes. “Tal-”

Tala turned on her heel and marched away, rubbing the tears from her eyes. Everything bubbled to the surface, breaking from Tala’s mouth as that bubble popped. She tried to hold back a sob, but it came out anyway, wet and angry. She covered her mouth and ducked her head, briskly walking past the other two boys. 

“Tala, where are you going?” Guan called. “Master Young should be here at any minute!”

Tala ran, instead of listening. 

Not wanting to bump into Master Young or any of the other masters while skipping class, Tala ducked into the stables, thinking that it would be the last place anyone would try to look for her until she could calm down. 

Tala crawled onto a pile of hay in the furthest corner from the entrance, finding refuge between the last stall and the inner wall of the exit. Tala sniffled, wiping frantically at every tear that fell, but they kept coming and coming. 

“ _ Aitai, stop! _ ” she chided herself. “ _ Stop it, now! Who cares what Chase thinks! It doesn’t matter, anyway! When Papa comes, you can leave and forget all about that arrogant bum! _ ”

“What are you doing?”

Tala gasped, whipping her head up to see Jun smiling at her from over the side of the stable. 

“That sounds pretty,” he said, cheerfully. “Is it a prayer? I was never good at them. Couldn't memoize the chanting.”

Tala hiccupped, wiping away her last few tears, and shook her head. 

Jun’s face fell. “Why are you crying, little sister?”

“Not your sister,” Tala said, too mad and tired to attempt at pronouncing any of the words correctly while her nose was stuffy. 

Jun’s smile faltered. He paused, then leapt up suddenly, clamoring over the stall like an awkward lizard. Tala scrambled back into the wall to avoid him as he fell. Jun rolled to sit up, hay sticking out of his hair. He smiled childishly, the kind that was very big and bright. Tala noticed that a few of his teeth were missing. 

“Don’t be sad, Honored Trainee!” he said. “Whatever happened can’t be so bad, can it?”

Tala bit the inside of her cheek. 

“Fought with my teammate,” she explained, with another sniff. “He was soft when we spared, and said I never match the others. I, I just wanted to-”

Tala sighed heavily, not wanting to translate anymore. 

“Ohhh,” said Jun, but his eyes seemed far away, as if he didn’t really understand. 

He went quiet for a few seconds. Jun was very still, sitting like a statue. Tala fought the urge to wave a hand over Jun’s face, unsure of what to do, and wondered if she should just leave. It wasn’t long after her thought that Jun blinked the stillness away, and brightened with another large grin.

“Do you wanna pet Huhu?” he asked, speaking so fast that Tala second-guessed, and even third-guessed, the question. 

Tala shook her head, not knowing how to say that she didn’t like Huhu without sounding rude. 

“Okay!” said Jun. “I’ll pet him!”

Jun jumped up. He slid down the hay pile, landing with a skip in his step. Tala watched him take the pail that hung from a nail on the side pole of the stable, and pull out a brush. 

“I’m going to brush his mane,” said Jun, holding the brush up in a salute at his forehead. “Wanna watch?”

Tala shifted her weight. She didn't want to seem rude for saying no again, so she nodded. 

Jun smiled, then walked out of sight. Tala took that as a sign to follow, and slid down the hay pile on her backside. 

When she caught up to Jun, he was already working on Huhu, brushing the horse’s rump with slow, rhythmic strokes. Jun was murmuring too low under his breath for Tala to understand, but the way he looked at the horse with such reverence made Tala feel a bit better. In a way, Jun’s quiet cooing reminded Tala of Mama, and how she used to whisper so sweetly. 

“Mr. Jun?” she asked.

He didn’t hear her, continuing to mutter and brush. 

“...Mr. Jun?” Tala tried a bit louder. 

“I think you should tell your friend how much he really hurt you,” Jun told her, suddenly.

“What?”

Jun continued to brush as if he hadn’t said anything for at least half a minute, before answering her.  

“If he’s your friend, he’ll understand,” said Jun, very quietly.

“Not just that,” Tala admitted. “I.. um, was  _ mean _ , too. Want to say sorry, but I am so mad! And too much is happening-  _ Aitai, _ just want to go home!”

Jun stopped brushing and took the rag off of his shoulder, continuing to work with a happy bob. He began to hum quietly, dipping the rag into the water bucket beside him. 

“It  _ hurts _ !” Tala groaned, holding the sides of her head. “Hate thinking so much. Hate thinking about monks, hate thinking about better words, hate thinking about  _ everything _ ! I am tired.”

Jun continued his humming, oblivious to Tala’s complaints. He wrung the rag out, and began wiping Huhu down. The horse puffed happily, turning to nudge Jun’s head. Jun smiled, and pat the horse’s nose.  

“Maybe you need to learn something new,” said Jun, his bright eyes smiling up at Huhu. “Thinking hurt when I tried to be a monk, too.”

Tala thought that he was making fun of her, by using the same simple words that she had, but the far away smile Jun had while running his fingers along the horse’s mane made Tala unclench her fists. He didn’t seem to be mocking her. Tala looked down, biting her inner cheek for thinking even for a second that he would.

“I couldn’t study like they wanted me to,” Jun explained, dreaminess softening his words, like Papa’s whenever he told his old stories. “Their books were running a race with my head, and I got bored waiting for the words to catch up, so I forgot everything they made me read. People think I’m dumb, but I’m not. The horses help me slow down, though.”

Tala looked away shyly, remembering Jia’s story.

Jun smiled warmly when Huhu whinined and bobbed his big, brown head. He scratched the horse’s neck with a cheerful laugh. 

“It was really hard, at first,” he said. “No matter how much I tried, I couldn’t focus. It would always come out somehow, like tapping my feet, or humming. I got yelled at a lot. I know I talk too fast, and I know I fidget too much for people to like me, but the horses don’t mind. I don’t even do it so much anymore, not while I’m taking care of them. Dashi helped me to find something softer to think about, by giving me a place at the stables with Huhu and the other horses.”

“Something softer,” Tala repeated, getting an idea. 

She touched the pendant where it hung under her robe collar, feeling the shape of the ruby beneath the cotton. 

“Mr. Jun,” she asked, “do you know stories about Xiaolin Dragons?”

Jun looked at Tala with a sunny smile, his head bobbing in time with Huhu’s.

“No,” he said, “but I know that the Jade Circle’s library is full of scrolls that do. When I studied as a monk, my master sat me down for hours every day, trying to get me to memorize them.”

Tala’s stomach flipped, remembering the last time she had entered the Jade Circle. Warmth drained from her face, and pooled into her chest, thinking about Master Honghui’s ugly old smirk when he threatened to mark her as a witch. 

“The Jade Circle?” she squealed.

Jun took the bucket, moved to the open side of the stable, and tossed the dirty water with a splash into the snow. It melted whatever white it touched, with a slap. 

“Your master is Master Young, right?” asked Jun. “You should ask him to give you some scrolls to read.”

Tala shook her head quickly. “No, no, no!”

Jun paused, holding the bucket in the air. He had a strange look on his face. 

“Mr. Jun?”

Huhu whinnied, and Jun blinked, moving again as if he were thawing out of the ice, himself. 

“Well,” he said, not skipping a beat, “if not him, then the Grand Master. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind one of the Honored asking him, maybe.”

A smile broke onto Tala’s face. “Of course! Something softer!”

Rather,  _ someone _ softer.

Tala had it all wrong, trying to ask her teammates first. What she needed to do, Tala realized, was ask the keeper of the Xiaolin Dragons’ history himself, and see if there were any records that proved Wuya’s words to be true. 

Tala ran up and wrapped her arms around Jun’s waist. 

“Thank you, Mr. Jun!” she cried. 

Jun lifted his arms, surprised, but then melted into the hug, patting Tala’s head.

* * *

The Dragon-faced handle of the Jade Circle’s giant double doors snarled down at Tala with golden fangs. Its dead eyes gleamed under the light of the torch bowls, judging Tala where she stood. She gulped, knees quaking.

‘Maybe I should come back later,’ she thought. ‘The Grand Master could be busy. The Elders are still trying to find Wuya, after all. He’s probably…”

Tala’s thoughts drifted, when she caught movement out of the corner of her eye. She turned her head to follow it, but there was nothing beside her but the deep red Emperor’s flag that draped over the side wall. Its tassels swung lazily, from the breeze that carried itself down the long hallway. 

Tala bit the inside of her cheek, inwardly scolding herself for letting anxiety get the better of her, and lifted an arm to knock. 

“Honored Trainee?”

Tala turned around, meeting the quivering gaze of Grand Master Wei’s eunuch, Yat-sen. The tiny spectacles resting on the bridge of Yat-sen’s long, thin nose made the old eunuch’s eyes look much bigger than they were, giving his curious expression a deceivingly nervous edge. 

“Are you alright?” he asked in a soft, high-pitched voice. 

Tala nodded. “Was looking… oh _\- I_ was looking for the Grand Master,” she explained, pointing to the door. 

“Oh, it is a good thing I caught you, then-” he bowed nervously. Once, then twice, very quickly. “-H-honored Trainee, forgive me for not bowing earlier.”

Tala wasn’t sure how to respond to that, so she nodded again.

Yat-sen smiled, then said, “Well- in any other case- Grand Master Wei is still meeting with the Elders in the Jade Circle, so you shouldn’t go in just yet.”

He darted his eyes around, then half-bent down to beckon her close with a bony finger. Whispering in her ear, Yat-sen told Tala, “There is talk that the Heylin witch, who was spotted earlier this month, has been on the grounds of the Xiaolin Temple.”

Tala’s heart leapt, and she covered her mouth to keep it from escaping with her loud gasp. Yat-sen nodded solemnly, his mouth turned down deeply.  

Tala backed away from Yat-sen, her whole body beginning to shake when she asked, “ _ Keih _ \- I mean, when was she spotted?!” 

“A mark she left was found, this morning,” said Yat-sen. “One of the maids discovered a black circle of grass in the forest. According to her testimony, a bit of cloth the maid was about to dip into the river for washing blew away with a strong wind, and the circle was found in the clearing  half-a-mile from the path where she chased it...Honored Trainee, you look a little pale. Are you feeling alright?”

Tala nodded, clamping her mouth shut. 

The double-doors behind them clicked open. Yat-sen grabbed Tala’s wrist, and yanked her to the side, to keep her from being hit with the heavy door. He bowed immediately, sputtering silent apologies for touching Tala, but she could only really wave her hands at him in response.

The dark room of the Jade Circle was very quiet, only a few whispers pouring into the hallway, as the Elders and lesser masters shuffled out of their meeting place. 

Tala scurried to hide behind the door, dragging Yat-sen with her, when she noticed Master Young among them. She pressed her back to the other side of the door, her heart pounding, and clutched pendant around her neck as she fought to keep her breathing steady.

Tala slowly uncurled her fingers from Yat-sen’s shirt, and poked her head back around the door. Master Young’s back was to her, making his way down the long hallway to the Jade Circle’s main gate as he spoke with another master whose name Tala did not know. 

When he and the rest were gone,Tala and Yat-sen snuck back into the center of the hallway. Tala went to walk into the gaping darkness, but the eunuch yanked on Tala’s sleeve. 

“Please, Honored Trainee,” he said, with a quick bow, “pardon my rudeness in grabbing you again, but allow me to announce you, first. There is still protocol that even one of the Honored must follow.”

Tala swept a hand out, dipping her head as an acknowledgement to let him pass, and Yat-sten scurried inside. Not even half of two minutes later, Yat-sen poked his head back out and beckoned for Tala to follow him. 

Tala squinted as her eyes adjusted to the candlelit room. The hundred candles that lined the walls if the Jade Circle flickered wildly all the way up to the sky light ceiling, and many of those candles needed a bit of replacing, their wax dripping down the tiered ledges in different spots on every side of the room. 

Tala stepped into the center, where the sun shone down through the high ceiling, like a spotlight against the mirror-like floor. Dustmotes danced around Tala in the sunbeam, whipping around in the smoke coming from the burning incense on either side of the Grand Master’s sitting mat. 

She could barely see anything of Grand Master Wei’s face in the darkness, the bright light of the sunroof’s beam casting him in mostly shadow. Tala had to shield her eyes. 

“ _ The witch is among us, my young friend _ ,” he said in Wupoyisho, the words hissing. “ _ Would you, perhaps, know anything about that? _ ”

Tala shook her head. 

“ _ No _ ,” she lied. 

The Grand Master tapped his fingers against his knee in silence. He took his time to answer, saying in common tongue, “That is truly a shame. I had hoped you came to find me, because you knew of something, Trainee.” 

Tala gulped, shaking her head again. She wasn’t sure whether to speak in her native language or his. Settling for his, she said quite softly, “No, sir.”

The Grand Master’s whole body sunk into a disappointed sigh. She watched his hand stop its tapping and reach up to touch the part of his face still shrouded in shadow, perhaps to pinch the bridge of his nose. 

“I-I came to you today, because I want  to ask about Xiaolin history,” she said. 

“If you want to learn more, you should be asking Master Young to provide the texts for you,” he answered, dismissively, “not coming to me while we are in a time of crisis.”

Tala bowed deeply.

“This is not to ask Master Young about,” she said. In Wuopyiso, she added, “ _ Jo, Grand Master, I want to know about the day I was chosen to be a monk. It is very important to me to know why the Xiaolin no longer have their own magic, and why you think that I will return it.” _

Grand Master Wei sat up straight. Tala could feel his eyes watching her, but could not see the expression on his face. She stayed in her bow, hoping it made her look less nervous. 

“That scholarly mind, again,” he murmured, thoughtfully.

The Grand Master clapped his hands together, hard. The sound reverberated off of the walls and bounced back to Tala’s ears, blowing out most of the candles. She winced, when the sound’s echo met her ears with a sharp bite.

“Rise from your bow, child,” said the Grand Master. “I have something to show you.”

Tala waited until Grand Master Wei rose and stepped down from the platform, before standing straight. She kept her eyes on the golden rim of his robe’s long train as he passed her with slow, deliberate steps toward the inner hallway, just beyond them. 

She followed him with hesitant steps, making sure to stay behind the Grand Master, as they made their way down a narrow corridor that was lined with cubbies of scrolls. They came to a small room at the end of it, with three hallways to choose from for their next destination. Each looked exactly the same: black, small, and deep. 

Grand Master Wei flicked his wrist at Yat-sen, who turned to Tala with shaking hands. He pulled a kerchief from his pocket, saying, “Please allow me to put this on you, Honored Trainee.”

Tala looked to the Grand Master, who smiled with a twinkle in his eye. 

“ _ Only a precaution _ ,”  he said to her in Wupoyisho, using simpler variations of the words. “ _ Only my personal eunuch and I can know the way to the innermost sanctum. _ ” 

Tala tried to brush it off, assuming he hadn’t learned the more-polite words, and wasn’t intending to talk down to her. After all, Grand Master Wei had mentioned learning through second-hand, translated accounts and scrolls. There was only so much he could learn through printed characters, and his pronunciation was far from perfect most of the time, anyway. 

Tala figured that not everything would be correctly written, but for some reason, she couldn’t shake the un-intended insult. It nestled into the back of her head snugly, like a cat curling up with a full belly. The way he spoke reminded her a little too much of Wuya’s unrefined sarcasm and back-water slang.  

Tala nodded to Yat-sen, and allowed him to cover her eyes. She felt someone take her hand, and begin down one of the halls. Everything was dark, except for the soft glow of the torch that Yat-sen carried. She saw it through the kerchief, shining on the dark purple and blue of the patterned cloth. 

They ended their walk, and Yat-sen dowsed the torch with a sizzling hiss. There was whispering in the darkness. The deep drumbeat of Grand Master Wei’s voice was the loudest, but she could not make out exactly what he was saying, straining to listen as she heard a happy voice say, “Yes sir, Grand Master Wei!”

“You may remove the blindfold, Trainee,” said the Grand Master. 

Tala obeyed, squinting in the dark until a small candle was burned to give them some light. Tala gasped, when she saw that little, green snake she’d met in the Jade Circle sitting atop the Grand Master’s shoulder, wearing a charming grin on its face. 

“Dojo,” said Grand Master Wei, “You remember Tala.”

“Hmm,” said the dragon, rubbing the red beard under his chin. “Can’t say that I do.”

“Dojo Kanojocho!” the Grand Master chucked, playfully.

Dojo snorted, and said,  “I’m kidding! Good to see you again, Honored Trainee!”

Dojo waved at her, every single one of his needle-like fangs showing. Tala, hesitantly, waved back.

“Tala,” said Grand Master Wei, “Dojo is the guardian of the Scroll of Ages… Perhaps  _ bowing  _ should be your proper response?”

Tala squeaked, and bowed quickly. “ _ Jo _ , yes! Forgive me, Mr. Dojo!”

“Mr.?” asked Dojo.

“It’s a relief to hear one of the Honored speak with such formality. Wouldn’t you agree,  _ Mr. Dojo _ ?” said the Grand Master, with another playful chuckle. 

Dojo grumbled, folding his twiggy arms. A puff of smoke blew out of his nose, as he grumbled something Tala didn’t understand. All she caught was “My grandfather,” and “Old man.”

Tala looked to the floor, wringing the hem of her robe. She was promptly ignored by the Grand Master, after that. He and Dojo spoke for a while, holding a conversation that was too fast for Tala to bother trying to translate for herself. This was mostly the Grand Master’s fault, as he spoke softly and with very long words that Tala only knew through the manuscripts that Guan taught her to read from. 

Dojo spoke with the same informalities that the boys used around her, and his simpler words were easier for Tala to pick up, though confusing. He used slang she’d never heard before, not even through Dashi. The dragon’s uncanny way of speaking, both discernable yet completely new, left Tala with more of a headache than trying to listen to Grand Master Wei’s formal words. 

She looked to Yat-sen, who shrugged at her, absolutely no help at all.

Tala pouted a little, until she finally heard something she understood. Her ears practically perked up, when she heard Dojo ask, “So, what brings you guys down here?” 

The Grand Master spoke again, saying only a few words that Tala understood. It was torture! Tala bit the inside of her cheek, feeling her frustration well up into tears. She’d spent so much time learning through books, but in an actual conversation, she was still as useless as the day she came here!  

Tala bit the inside of her cheek, trying her best not to start crying. She wiped her tears away, when Yat-sen tapped her shoulder. 

He pointed his chin toward the Grand Master and Dojo, who then turned their attention back to where Tala was standing. She nodded to Yat-sen, thanking him for the warning, and stood at stern attention. 

Tala ignored whatever the Grand Master told Dojo, since he still spoke too fast for her, but watched him hand a dark red candle to  Dojo, who lit with a small stream of flame. He then handed it to Yat-sen, as Tala looked on with curious interest. 

Yat-sen held  the flame just above some sort of intricate lock. The wax dipped down into the lock, and when when it hit the center, something above them clicked. 

Tala could not see what was happening, but she could hear it. A series of clicks and pops began to sound off in all directions. Metal ground against metal, and Tala ducked at the sound, holding her ears and clenching her teeth. She felt a hand rest gently on her back.

Tala bolted upright, jumping at a loud bang, to see the Grand Master staring down at her with a look of worry. Light poured over his face from the now-open room, and his black eyes held a hint of brown where it shone. 

“You okay, kid?” asked Dojo.

“I am well,” Tala muttered, shrinking away. “ _ Jo _ , do not worry for me, Grand Master, Mr. Dojo.”

“Follow me,” said the Grand Master, turning in his heel quickly. 

Yat-sen practically jumped out of his way, ducking under the train of Grand Master Wei’s robe as it flew up toward his face. The Eunuch gave a short bow to Tala, his mouth pulled into a tight, nervous line, and walked in next. Tala followed, eyeing Yat-sen, wondering why he was more jumpy than she was. 

Then, she realized. Dead in the center of this little room was a giant scroll, propped up by the golden claws of a dragon statue. Partly uncurled, to about the width of the tea table in Tala’s apartment, she could see the characters that were written on the parchment running down it vertically. They shimmerd, as if freshly painted. Her heart began to pound, staring at them. 

Tala had thought, at first, that the room was lit by a window or a torch, but it wasn’t. The scroll was what provided the light. It shone brightly, tossing a yellow glow into all corners of the room. The scroll itself pulsed with this light, and Tala gasped, watching more characters printing themselves onto the scroll, written by invisible hands.

Grand Master Wei was smiling broadly, when he told Tala, “ _ That _ is the Scroll of Ages, young one.”

Tala fell to her knees in awe, and tears came to her eyes.

“It is true,” she whispered. “Guan was right.”

Tala didn’t realize that she had reached up for the pendant resting beneath her collar, until one of its corners pressed into her thumb. She squeezed it a little more tightly, swallowing back tears. 

‘If Guan was right about the Scroll, then what else was he right about?’ she wondered, thinking of Papa, and Chase, and the Celestials, and everything else. 

Tala felt Grand Master Wei and Dojo watching her, so she wiped the tears away with her sleeve and stood up. Grand Master Wei stayed silent, instead gesturing with a regal sweep of his arm for Tala to walk forward and get a closer look. 

The Scroll pulsed a little more brightly, as if sensing Tala’s presence. She could feel warmth radiating from it. 

“Is it living?” Tala asked, her eyes following the characters as they etched themselves onto the parchment with shimmering light before fading into inky black. 

“You could say that,” said Dojo. “Magic itself is alive, in a way.”

“The Scroll of Ages is the last known trace of Xiaolin Magic in our world,” explained Grand Master Wei. “I fear that’s why the witch is here. She wishes to destroy it, and to be rid of Xiaolin Magic for good.”

“Without the Scroll of Ages,” said Tala, repeating what Guan once told her, a long time ago, “the Xiaolin Dragons will no longer be chosen, and the line will end…”

“And not just that,” said the Grand Master, coming up to Tala’s side, “but if she were to destroy the Scroll with her Heylin Magic, then the witch could drive the world into one thousand years of darkness. That is why Dojo guards the Scroll. He is currently our only  _ magical  _ line of defense, should she find her way to it.”

“Mr. Dojo?” Tala asked, “But, he is so-”

“Don’t finish that sentence,” snapped Dojo, pointing a claw at her. “I’ll have you know, I can grow to ten times my current size, and I can breathe fireballs the size of your-”

“Yes, Dojo, you are a mighty and fearsome temple guardian,” said the Grand Master, dryly. “I am sure the Honored Trainee will see it, someday. But for now, please focus on the task at hand.”

Dojo grumbled again, pointing his snout to the air with a pout.

“ _ Jo _ , Grand Master, why bring me here?” Tala asked. 

Grand Master Wei raised an eyebrow, looking at Tala with an indiscernible expression, otherwise. 

“You asked why I think you will help us to return Xiaolin Magic,” he said, “and the Scroll of Ages has your answer. Look.”

The characters printing themselves onto the Scroll began to swirl, lighting up as they animated themselves into figures of people. Tala saw two women, both in a shape she unfortunately recognized. Fighting to keep that recognition from her face, Tala bit the inside of her cheek.

The animated figures were of Wuya and Mama. Tala could tell by the way their hair swept back into curls, and the evil smiles the Scroll had painted onto them. The two witch figures held their hands out, just like in her nightmare, as four male figures collapsed in front of them. 

“Heylin witches, sisters,” said Grand Master Wei, “took away the elemental abilities of the Xiaolin Dragons, over three hundred years ago. They cursed us, swearing that our magic would return only when four were chosen who had the ability to sacrifice what they desire most in this world. These two witches were known as Wuya and Shion.”

Tala looked away, hoping to hide the tears that sprang up at the sound of her mother’s name. She clenched her fists. 

“Trainee,” Grand Master Wei asked, softly, “are you alright?”

Tala nodded and heaved a heavy sigh. 

“ _ Jo _ , Grand Master Wei,” she said, “why do you think I can break this curse?”

Her eyes lingered on the image of her mother as it laughed evilly, raising its glowing arms into the air. Tala wanted to reach out and touch it, her hand physically shaking at her side when she decided not to. She swallowed, sand scratching her throat.

“Truthfully,” said the Grand Master, “because of your ability to  _ use _ magic, and the fact that you are one of their fellow Chosen, I think that you may be able to influence the other three Dragons into seeing magic as something to  _ wield i _ nstead of to destroy. Maybe then, we will be one step closer to acceptance, and one more step  _ even closer _ to breaking this dreadful curse.”

Tala thought of Guan, and how much he didn’t like magic. Her stomach flipped at the thought of him ever finding out that she could use it, let alone was related to the very creatures that destroyed his home. 

She also thought of Chase and Master Young, too- Chase’s desire to please his father by becoming stronger with magic that he didn’t even know what to do with, and Master Young’s utter disgust for Tala and her abilities. She saw fire in both of their eyes, and it made her blood run cold.

“Not think so,” said Tala. “Not think they are ready to see. Too much fear, too much hatred. It is too dangerous.”

“Tala,” the Grand Master’s quiet voice reminded her of an icicle snapping off of a tree branch. 

His large hand fell heavily onto her shoulder. When Tala looked up at Grand Master Wei, his eyes were as cold as his voice, “You do not want to say no to this. The fate of the world rests in the Xiaolin Dragons’ hands. You wouldn’t want to deny your friends their birthright, and keep your gifts selfishly to yourself, do you? One might become suspicious of your loyalties.”

Tala felt guilty, realizing that he was right. She turned her back on the Scroll of Ages. It dimmed, as if sensing her mood, when she said, “W-want to go back now, please… Need to think about it. I-I do not feel well.”

Grand Master Wei clicked his tongue. 

“Very well,” he clipped. “ Perhaps, once you’ve had time to  _ digest  _ all of this, we may speak about it again. Yat-sen, the blindfold, if you’d please.”

Tala nodded to Yat-sen when he held up the blindfold, and allowed him to tie it over her eyes. Then someone yanked her by the wrist, and they lead her down the corridor. She did not even have the chance to say goodbye to Dojo.

* * *

When Tala finally arrived back to her apartment, a pair of glowing eyes met her in the darkest corner of her sleeping room. Tala snapped her paper door shut, glaring at them through heavy eyelids. 

“ _ What are you doing here? _ ” Tala demanded. 

“ _ I couldn’t very well stay in the forest, could I? _ ” hissed Wuya, the glowing, green eyes squinting. “ _ Some brat forgot to clean up her mess, and the masters found a dark circle in. the.  _ _ grass _ _. _ ”

“ _ That was a maid, technically _ ,” said Tala, slipping out of her shoes. She waved a lazy hand at the eyes. “ _ Now, move. I’m tired. _ ”

“ _ You are sooo not going to sleep, _ ” Wuya growled. “ _ Oh no, little girl, you sit your butt right down, because I-” _

“The Grand Master knows,” Tala clipped, in common tongue. 

The eyes grew wide. “ _ He… what?” _

Tala just stared at the floating eyes, her own begging for rest with a sleepy haze at their edges.

“Get out of my bed,” she snapped. 

The eyes rose, and Tala assumed that Wuya was now standing.

“ _ What does the Grand Master know? _ ” Wuya demanded.

Tala sighed.

“ _ He knows about the curse _ ,” she said, too tired to keep speaking in common tongue. “ _ The Scroll of Ages revealed it to us. It told him how to break it, too. _ ”

Wuya stepped into the moonlight. Her face was twisted with such rage, that Tala instinctively took a step back.  

“ _ The Scroll of Ages, _ ” Wuya echoed. 

She cocked her head, red hair spilling over one shoulder, as she looked Tala up and down. Then, Wuya broke out into a full smile, her sharp teeth gleaming white. “... _ You know where he keeps it? _ ”

Tala threw her head back, groaning loudly. She dragged herself over to the bed, completely ignoring Wuya’s creepy smile, and flopped face first onto her futon. Tala almost thought that Wuya might leave, since the room grew so quiet once she closed her eyes, but then there was a tug on her ankle. 

“ _ Tala, get up, _ ” Wuya clipped.

Tala wrapped her arms around her pillow, and weakly shook her ankle out of her aunt’s hand.

“ _ Absolutely not, _ ” she grunted.  _ “I already said that I wouldn’t help you get that stupid scroll when this whole mess started, and I haven’t changed my mind. I’m sleeping. _ ”

“ _ Celestials _ ,” said Wuya. “ _ Maybe I should have saved that story for another time. What terrible timing for you to start growing a pair. _ ”

“ _ Too bad for you _ ,” snapped Tala, squeezing her eyes shut tightly. 

“ _ Oh well, _ ” Wuya sighed. “ _ I was  _ _ going _ _ to tell you more about your parents tonight, but I guess if you’re too tired, I’ll just be on my way. _ ”

Tala shot up faster than an arrow, tossing her pillow into the wall, shouting, “ _ I’m up!” _

Wuya smirked, hands on her hips. 

“ _ How cute, _ ” she sneered.  _ “Does somebody miss mommy? _ ”

“ _ So what if I do?! _ ” Tala asked, throwing her arms into the air. “ _ She died in front of me! _ ”

Wuya’s eyes widened, looking a bit like cold water had been dumped over her head.

“ _ What _ ,” Tala snapped, when all Wuya did was stare, “ _ did you forget?! Yeah, I miss my parents, yeah, I know that all I talk about is my Papa, and  _ _ yeah, _ _ I know everybody else thinks that I should just accept that I’m a monk and that I  _ _ live _ _ here now, but can you blame me for wanting to be back with my family?! The other monks think I should just be  _ _ soooo _ _ over what happened by now, but I know he’s still out there! I know Papa’s going to come back for me! Just because Mama and Meilin are both dead, doesn’t mean I should just give up on my father, too! _ ”

“ _ Tala, that’s not _ -”

“ _ I don’t  _ _ care _ _ what you think! _ ” Tala hissed, jabbing a finger at Wuya. “ _ I don’t care about what  _ _ anyone _ _ thinks! I’m so sick of everybody pushing me to trust or help them, when  _ _ I’m _ _ still wondering if the only person out there that still loves me is ever going to come back! So stop acting like I’m a spoiled child, and just tell me about my parents so that I can go to bed and worry about your evil agenda tomorrow,  _ _ please _ _.” _

Wuya huffed, folding her arms.

“ _ You  _ _ are _ _ a spoiled brat _ ,” she said, “ _ but since you actually stood up for yourself, I’ll tell you a bedtime story _ .”

Tala groaned and flopped onto her back. The shadows of the tree outside reached in through her window, stretching across the ceiling like sinister claws. Tala fought a yawn.

“ _ Can you pass me my pillow? _ ” she asked.

“ _ No _ ,” Wuya clipped. “ _ Stay awake, and pay attention. I’ll give you three questions that I’ll answer, but only if you promise to answer one for me when I’m finished _ .”

Tala remembered this game. It was one of Mama’s favorites to play with her, usually as a way to get Tala to eat her bitter greens when she was still little. 

“ _ I already know what you’ll ask _ ,” said Tala. “ _ Still a no _ .”

“ _ You aren’t the least bit curious about your mother? _ ” asked Wuya.

_ “Is that your question? _ ” Tala grumbled.

_ “That’s not how the game works _ ,” answered Wuya, pouting. “ _ You haven’t even asked yours, yet _ .”

Tala groaned, pushing herself up to look at Wuya. Wuya brightened into a smile, when their eyes met.

“ _ Fine, _ ” Tala snipped, “ _ First question: Why did Mama leave your clan? _ ”

“ _ We didn’t, _ ” said Wuya. “ _ It was destroyed by your friends’ ancestors _ . _ Your mother and I were the last of our people. Now, I’m the last _ .”

Wuya shrugged at this, as if she’d simply been talking about the weather, giving Tala an ‘oh well’ sort of smile. 

“ _ You don’t count, really, _ ” Wuya added, “ _ so don’t waste a question by asking. You’re part human, so your magic is watered down. Even if you are second-generation, your magic is significantly weaker than that of a ture born’s powers.Your grandmother probably rolled in her grave the day  _ _ you _ _ were born _ .”

There was that word,  _ Zeiyo, _ again. Tala bit the inside of her cheek. With an angry growl, Tala asked her next question. “ _ Why did Mama leave  _ _ you _ _? _ ”

Wuya soured instantly, narrowing her eyes at Tala with pursed lips. She clicked her tongue, running it over her fangs slowly, and gave Tala an ugly sneer. 

“ _ We had a.. _ _ disagreement, _ ” she said. “ _ Your mother wanted to give up on destroying the Scroll of Ages, because she found out that she was having your sister. She thought we could just bring our clan back through her children, as if your father’s blood  _ _ wasn’t _ _ a stain on our bloodline! Nooo, Shion thought that it was  _ _ just fine _ _ brining the very race that was hunting us to extinction into the family!  _ _ One _ _ human knocks her up, and she suddenly thinks that we should just drop the job that we’ve been trying to finish for the past three hundred years! _ ”

“ _ I want to ask my final question _ ,” said Tala. “ _ Mama didn’t have magic after I was born. I don’t remember her ever using it, but I know that she used to have it. What happened to Mama’s magic? _ ”

“ _ She lost it, _ ” said Wuya, folding her arms. “ _ Like I said, she became pregnant with your sister, and that was the end of it. Became her downfall in the end, too. She couldn’t even defend herself when they tied her to the stake. _ ”

“ _ I know _ ,” spat Tala. “ _ I was there _ .”

She could tell that Wuya wasn’t saying everything, but Tala was out of questions. She ground her teeth together, when Wuya smiled at her.

“ _ What’s  _ _ your _ _ question? _ ” Tala hissed through her teeth. 

“ _ Well, first _ ,” said Wuya, “ _ I have to explain something, so that you’ll have enough information to answer my question  _ _ correctly _ _. _ ”

“ _ I’m listening, _ ” said Tala.

“ _ You asked me once, if I actually knew your father, _ ” said Wuya. “ _ I do. _ ”

Tala’s stomach plummeted.

“ _ You know where he is? _ ” she breathed.

Wuya broke into a slow smile, her full lips curling around her fangs cruelly.

“ _ That’s right _ ,” she said. “ _ My offer is to tell you where he is, if -and  _ _ only _ _ if- you help me to get the Scroll of Ages… So my question for you is: Tala, are you in? _ ”

“ _ You’ll bring me to my Papa _ ,” said Tala, narrowing her eyes.

“ _ I said I’d  _ _ tell _ _ you where he is _ ,” said Wuya, offering Tala her hand.  _ “Didn’t say anything about taking you. Now, answer my question. Are you in? _ ”

Tala looked at Wuya’s hand. 

The Scroll of Ages glowed in the back of her mind, and the Grand Master’s words floated around it: “...if she were to destroy the Scroll with her Heylin Magic, then the witch could drive our world into one thousand years of darkness…”

Tala’s fingers flicked with hesitation, thinking about everyone else, too- all of their cruel words about Papa never coming back for her, and how Chase mocked her for not being as strong as he was. Her hands burned at the memory, hatred biting into her stomach for all of the things that the Xiaolin Apprentices and Master Young had ever done or said to her. If they didn’t care about her, past being a fellow monk, then why  _ should  _ she care about them?!

“ _ Well? _ ” demanded Wuya. “ _ You know, this could be you last chance to find out what happened to him. Don’t you want to know? _ ”

Seeing only Papa’s face, and thinking of being held in his strong arms again, as he carried her away from the Xiaolin Temple, Tala grabbed Wuya’s hand. 

“ _ I’m in _ .”


	23. Chapter 23

Twenty-three_ Fragmented

Dashi hissed with pain, when he felt someone shaking him. 

“Go away,” he moaned. “Let me sleep.”

His bad shoulder thudded against the ground, and he cried out. He whipped the blankets off of him, ready to punch whoever pushed him out of bed. His fist stopped inches from Tala’s nose. 

She stared at his fist for a few seconds, before looking into his eyes with an expression that was hard to read, under the moonlight. 

“We must go,” she whispered. 

“Tala, what are you doing in my house?” he asked, rubbing his arm. “That really hurt, you know. I almost gave you a black eye, for it.”

“We must  _ go _ ,” she said again, her little voice rising with a layer of urgency. 

Dashi realized that something wasn’t right. His eyes darted around the room, but there was nothing but shadows and the two of them. Dread prickled up the back of his neck, like static before a lightning strike. Dashi held his breath. 

Tala grabbed him, just as a chunk of the roof gave way. He landed on top of her, twisting just in time to watch a monstrous,stone hand crush his bed. It pulled back slowly, and Dashi’s gaze followed it upward. A looming pair of glowing eyes stared back at him, and a low rumbling shook the entire room. 

“Run, Tala!” he shouted, trying to scramble to his feet. “Run!”

He was flown forward when the hand came down again, swiping at them. Tala pressed herself to the wall, watching Dashi try to crawl away, with wide eyes. 

“Why are you just standing there?!” Dashi cried. “Run!”

He yelped, when a couple of books fell from his dresser and landed on his bad shoulder. His arm fell to his side, useless again, as it throbbed with pain. The only thing Dashi could do was press his back to the dresser, as he watched the giant’s hand grope around the room, picking things up and tossing them.

“Tala!” Dashi shouted, watching her shake against the window, looking between him and the hand with wide, tear-filled eyes. 

The hand found her. It traveled up her body, felt around her face, then clamped around her hair. Dashi thought it might crush her, when it pulled back sharply. It, instead, gently pat the top of her head, before going back about its business. 

It was only when the hand moved back to the other side of the room, that Tala rushed over to Dashi. 

“ _ What _ did  _ you _ do?” he hissed, as she took his good shoulder. “This is  _ your _ magic, isn’t it? That’s why it didn’t hurt you!”

“Not mine,” said Tala, quietly.

Tala was surprisingly strong, able to carry half of Dashi’s weight, though he had to crawl on his knees most of the way. They made their way out of his suite with hardly any time before the entrance collapsed. The doorway behind them filled with rubble.

Tala was able to half-drag him to the bridge between their two suites, and sat him down beneath it. 

“Why didn’t it hurt you?” he asked, as she felt his forehead with the back of her hand. 

“ _ Xiekho Taigojun _ ,” she mumbled. “ _ Chao yeuveitu fanleu _ .”

“Tala, speak real words,” he said. “Why didn’t it hurt you, if it doesn’t belong to you?”

Tala’s hand hovered in the air. She looked at him with wide, guilty eyes. 

Shaking her head, she said, “ _ Pohn kheedei zhajur Eipah _ .  _ Chawquian, Ui, Dashi _ .”

Dashi frowned. “Great, you’re broken.”

Well, at least he understood ‘Dashi.’ He tired to sit up, groaning at the sharp pain in his shoulder.  He tired his best to smile at her, wincing. 

“Bad news is, a rock giant just destroyed our houses,” he said, jokingly. “Good news is, it hasn’t realized we’ve escaped yet. Somebody must have seen that thing by now, so I say we should hunker down here until they come to rescue-”

Tala ran off, shooting faster than an arrow toward the rock giant.

“-us..? Tala!”

Dashi tried to jump up after her, but fell right back against the pole, his shoulder causing such a pain that half of his body felt paralyzed by it. Through the pain, he yelled after her, “Come back! It’s too dangerous!”

But, Tala was already gone. He couldn’t even see the yellow of her robes. There was only rubble and flying rock, as the giant dug further and further through the broken roof of Dashi’s suite, looking for them. 

* * *

“I can’t believe her!” Chase growled. “Can you  _ believe _ her?!”

He stopped pacing to see Hannibal Bean purse its paper-thin lips, humming with annoyed agreement. 

“I mean,” Chase cried, tossing his hands up, “I was just going easy on her so she wouldn’t get hurt! She’s still a beginner! I was just trying to follow Grand Master Wei’s advice to be a better team leader! That doesn’t mean that I think she’s- ugh, forget it. Tala’s such a brat.”

He leaned over his desk, staring down at the papers scattered all over it. 

Sighing, Chase whispered, “What does she want from me? I'm trying my best.” 

“Didn’t help that you lost your temper, and mentioned her father.  _ Again _ ,” said Hannibal. “Mighty cruel of you. Completely the opposite of what I’d instructed you to do.”

“I didn’t really mean it,” Chase insisted. “It slipped out. She was just making me so mad! I can’t believe the little idiot thought she could just take me on, like that! If I took her seriously, she’d have gotten hurt!”

“Were you  _ really _ concerned for her safety,” asked the bean, his slow voice edged with suspicion, “or were you just angry that a child thought that she could challenge you on your oh-so-esteemed level?”

Chase turned on him. 

“Hey!” he snapped, “You  _ told _ me to spar with her! That’s another thing: stop hiding in my hair! You make it smell like dirt.”

“Yes,” the bean bit down hard on the word, his voice grinding into gravel with his anger, “but I did not _ tell  _ you to make the girl angry enough to use her magic! That was all on you and your childish goading! You're l _ ucky _ that the others didn’t notice it.”

“It’s not my fault that Tala can’t control her emotions,” Chase snapped right back, jabbing a finger at Hannibal. “Don’t you dare pin this on me!”

“You’re losing her, Chase,” said Hannibal. “That _ is _ on you. And when Tala goes to the dark side, you’ll lose your chance to learn the secrets of magic.  _ Unless _ you take what I’m offering to you.”

Chase felt a cold stillness wash over him. He took a long breath, turning to his notes. Chase scanned them, reading over everything he had written about Tala and what he had learned through observing her, feeling hopelessness crawl up his back. 

“Tala wouldn’t go dark,” he said. “She doesn’t like the Temple, and she doesn’t like being a monk, but I don’t think she has it in her to really _ do  _ anything about it. All Tala’s tried to do with her magic, since we met, is control it so that she won’t hurt anyone by accident.”

Chase heard the bean chuckle. Hannibal hopped up onto the desk and laid a tentacle on Chase’s hand. Chase looked at him. 

Hannibal smiled up at Chase, flashing every single one of his rotted teeth. 

“I see doubt in your eyes, Chase Young,” he said. “You know that she could… and that it will be  _ your  _ fault, for goading her on. But then again, you  _ were _ hoping to push her into doing more with her powers, weren’t you?”

Chase remembered Tala’s face when she stared down at him after their spar. She looked so angry, so hurt, that even the memory made Chase feel a little guilty for what he had said to her. 

“You’re wrong,” said Chase, quietly. “Tala’s not like that. _ I’m _ not like that.”

“Congratulations, Chase,” said Hannibal. “Tala’s now comfortable enough to use her magic in battle, and all thanks to  _ you _ . You just didn’t realize that your pushing went a bit too far. Now, who knows what that little witch might do, if her willingness to hurt you in order to win that match was any indication. Tell me, does what you said to Tala sound  _ anything _ like what the leader of the Xiaolin monks would say? Would it?”

With a growl, Chase pushed himself away from the desk, and opened the window. He leaned out of it, resting his chin on his elbows as he breathed in the winter’s night air. The cold slapped Chase’s cheeks, sending a shiver down his spine. 

“I keep telling you that the darkness in you is stronger than you realize,” said Hannibal. “Perhaps Tala’s foreseeable betrayal, despite your best efforts to help her, just further proves how much the Xiaolin does not deserve your strength. I've already shown you to which side you truly belong.” 

Chase tensed.

“Tala’s not dark!” he insisted. “Neither am I! We just had a fight. Tala’s not just gonna leave because I made her cry.” 

“Are you trying to convince yourself, or me?” asked the bean. 

Chase could hear the joy in Hannibal Bean’s voice, his stomach twisting against it. 

“You want so badly to be good, Chase Young,” said Hannibal, “but you’ve manipulated your friends to get what you want from them, and have even defied your masters  _ behind _ their  _ backs,  _ just by talking to me! You already know that you’ll never live up to your masters’ expectations of you. You can feel it, deep down. I  _ know _ you do.”

Chase ground his teeth, fighting the stinging in his eyes. 

“Stop it,” he whispered, chin quivering. “I’m not like that!”

“I knew that it would come to this,” Hannibal admitted. “I’d hoped that you would learn to hold your tongue by now, but not even my cleverness in teaching you how to be sneaky could save you from your pride.”

Whatever else Hannibal Bean continued to say was forgotten by Chase’s ears, when he noticed a glow rising into the black sky. Green smoke began to billow over the bamboo grove that separated Chase and Tala’s suites. 

“Tala! Dashi!” Chase gasped, leaping up. “They’re in trouble!”

Chase ran out, leaving Hannibal behind. 

Chase wasn’t even half way down the path, when he saw the rubble of Tala’s apartment. Green smoke danced to the sound of raspy laughter over the broken, yellow walls. The head of a dragon statue from the roof fell where Chase now stood, missing half of an eye and its entire lower jaw. Chase traced its path up past a pile of boulders… except, it wasn’t a  _ pile _ of boulders. 

The thing moved, turning its massive head to look at Chase. Chase swallowed a scream, backing away half a step as the rock giant stood up and turned to fully face him. It growled at Chase, green ooze pouring from its mouth and eyes. The creature reached down for him, and Chase found his bravery. 

He jumped and kicked at the hand with all of his might. He fractured one of its fingers, and it flew into the cracked wall, breaking whatever was left of it into peices. The giant roared, and reached out for Chase again. He ran up the beast’s arm, dodging every swipe it attempted with its free hand, as Chase made his way to its face. The creature gave one last grunt of surprise, when Chase cracked its head, between its eyes, with a well-placed punch.

Chase rode the creature to the ground, as it fell. The earth rattled when the rock giant hit it, with a loud  _ crack! _

Chase slid into the snow, stopping just short of the bridge that connected Dashi and Tala’s suites. The bridge was the only thing left standing. Both Tala’s and Dashi’s suites were completely destroyed by the rock giant. Luckily, Chase was able to kill it before it did any more damage. He gave the dead giant one last look of hatred before cupping his hands over his mouth.

“Tala?!” he called, “Dashi, where are you?!”

Chase heard weak coughing nearby, and sprinted towards it. Someone was lying in the shadow cast by the bridge. Dashi lay there, barely propped up against the pole. He was pale, gingerly cradling his broken shoulder. 

“Dashi!” Chase cried.

He helped Dashi to sit up. Dashi clung to Chase’s shirt to keep from falling back, hissing into Chase’s ear, “There’s more of them.”

“Okay,” said Chase, shifting Dashi’s weight to try and help him to stand. “We have to get you out of here.”

“Wait,” Dashi groaned. “Tala, she’s-”

“I’ll find Tala too,” Chase assured him, “but I have to get you some help, first.”

“No!” Dashi snapped, his chest wheezing with pain. “Tala’s gone. She dragged me over here, then left!”

“ _ Gone? _ ” 

Chase’s heart stopped, when he heard movement in the bamboo grove. Another rock giant rose up from the bamboo with a menacing growl. This one was somehow even bigger than the last, with spikes protruding from every part of its body. 

Chase slowly stood, shielding Dashi from the creature’s sight. The rock giant grinned. The strange laughter Chase heard before rose up again, scratchy and maniacal, from somewhere behind it. 

“Finally,” a voice called, “We meet at last, Xiaolin- oh, turn me around..”

The rock giant looked surprised for a second before slowly turning away from Chase until its back was turned. Leaning on one of the spikes sticking from the giant’s shoulder, stood a woman with bright red hair and a devious smile. She wiggled her fingers at Chase, her white fangs glittering against the green firelight. 

Chase bent into a stance, snarling, “Witch!”

“Yes,” said the witch, puckering her lips. She bent down as if talking to a small child, or a cute dog. “And you’re that pretty little kung fu prodigy I’ve heard so much about! I’ve been just  _ dying  _ to meet you!”

“You may have destroyed my friends’ houses,” Chase vowed, raising his fists, “but I won’t let you get to the rest of the Temple!” 

The witch smiled. “I wouldn’t be so sure about tha-”

“AAAAAAHHHH!” 

Guan’s war cry rang across the yard. He came charging, full-throttle, with a bow staff in hand. 

Chase smiled, broadly.

“Guan!” he cried, watching Guan smash his staff straight down the giant’s arm. 

The wooden staff splintered, but the giant was injured, roaring in pain as spider web-like cracks crawled all the way up into its shoulder. The giant howled like a child as it held its arm. Even green, oozy tears streaked down its face while it blubbered, turning its head to the witch for help. 

Guan landed next to Chase, giving the giant a serious glare. 

“It broke my staff,” he said.

“Correction,  _ you _ broke it,” Chase said, “but at least we know it can feel pain.”

Chase held his hand out to Guan, and asked with a smile, “You ready?”

Guan smiled at Chase, clapping their palms together as that smile broke into a toothy grin from ear-to-ear. 

“I will always be ready to fight by your side,” he said. 

They turned to the giant, still crying in pain. It’s mistress looked down at the cracks in its shoulder, her face twisting into an annoyed sneer. 

“Stop crying, you big baby,” she hissed. “It’s only a couple of cracks! Kill those monks!”

“Well, it’s now or never,” said Chase, quickly and quietly. “Okay, so we fight that thing, get it away from Dashi, and keep the witch distracted enough until the masters arrive with more help, got it?”

Guan nodded. 

“Okay,” said Chase, “On three…. THREE!”

He ran low, as Guan jumped high. Guan tackled the witch while she was still scolding the giant, and Chase kicked at the rock giant’s heel as it teetered off balance. The giant fell. It’s terrified shriek was cut short when it hit the ground. 

Chase stood from his crouching position, smiling at how easy that all was. He almost gloated about it, but when he looked at Guan and the witch, he noticed that something was very, very wrong.

Guan was on top of the witch, but she didn’t fight back. She didn’t even  _ move _ . 

Chase felt his stomach began to sink, watching as Guan struggled to sit up. The witch held his arms, smiling wickedly up at Guan. He felt a shift in the air, like he did the day Tala’s magic burst through the inner wall. 

“Guan, get off of her!” Chase cried.

“Unhand me, witch!” Guan snarled, oblivious to what Chase feared he already knew.

“No,” said the witch. “I want to play a little while longer. I can’t have you kids running off, just yet.”

That was when Chase realized that she  _ wasn’t  _ fighting back, and the rock giant  _ was _ too easy to kill. 

“This was a diversion,” Chase whispered.

“Guan, run! Get away from her!” Chase cried. He ran forward to help, but it was already too late.

Guan cried out, green sparks running up his arms. Chase could only look on with horror as the witch tortured his friend, chuckling while Guan’s screams rang across the field. When Guan’s head fell limp, the witch tossed him off. He rolled onto his side, silent.

The witch stood slowly, smiling. Her eyes were on Chase. 

“Your turn, pretty boy,” she said, the sweet coo morphing into a cruel hiss when she slowly came towards him. “We are going to have so much  _ fun _ .”

Chase instinctively backed up, getting ready to fight. His eyes darted over his shoulder to check on Dashi. Dashi was lying motionless, but Chase couldn’t see his face, thanks to the shadow of the bridge. His heart sank, realizing that he was going to be all alone in this fight.

Chase gasped when he turned back to the witch. She was right in front of him, nose-to nose. 

“This was a diversion,” Chase said again, squaring his shoulders, “ _ wasn’t  _ it?”

She smiled slowly, grinning from ear to ear.  

“Where’s Tala?” he growled.

The witch grabbed Chase by his collar, chuckling. Green fire ignited in her other hand. She held it close to Chase’s cheek. His eyes darted from the flame to her face, sweat already trickling down his neck.

The witch pulled Chase even closer, so close that he could feel her hot breath hit him with every word, “Exactly where I need her to be.”

* * *

Tala raced down the Jade Circle’s main hall. Her feet slapped against the polished floor so fast that she slipped a few times, but she caught and pushed herself to run even faster. 

“Yat-sen!” she called, her cries bouncing off of the walls, “Yat-sen!”

Tala slipped and fell onto her knees when she finally made it to the giant, golden doors of the Jade Circle’s entrance. She heaved, trying to catch her breath. With all of her might, Tala called out again. “YAT-SEN!”

Tala’s heart was pounding with the effort to catch her breath, every heartbeat throbbing in her ears so loudly that she could hardly hear Yat-sen’s slippers patter across the floor, quickly. He was helping her up in seconds, struggling to keep her dead-weight upright for too long, on his own. 

“Honored Trainee,” the eunuch squeaked, his soft voice twinging into strained panic, “what is happening outside? I hear shouting! The Grand Master wouldn’t tell me anything! He just rushed out and told me to stay put!”

“Water,” Tala begged, her voice scratching against her throat. “Please, need water.”

“Yes, of course, right away!” Yat-sen cried, jumping up.

Tala collapsed again when Yat-sen let her go. He rushed off somewhere that Tala couldn’t see. Tala clutched at the pendant around her neck, staring at her reflection on the floor. Strands already fell loose from her braids, and hung around her face like fraying thread. She pushed her hair back, but it didn’t do much good. It fell back into place, framing her wide, bright eyes. They practically glowed against the polished floor,  a pale white, just like Mama’s used to be. Tala focused on them, steadying her breathing. Her hair turned red for a moment, and her face grew older- the ghost of a memory. 

“ _ I’ll be fine, Mama, _ ” Tala whispered, watching her mother’s face fade back to her own. “ _ I’m doing this for Papa _ .  _ Please, understand. _ ”

Yat-sen returned, bending down to help Tala up again.

“Please, tell me, Honored Trainee,” he said, “is it the witch? Has she finally attacked? To see our own Xiaolin Apprentices fighting her!...Ohhh, this is so exciting! I’m surprised that you are not out there with them! It must be important, for you to come here in such a hurr-”

Tala let Yat-sen help her up, and twisted the eunuch’s arm with one fluid motion, pinning it behind his back. Yat-sen dropped the cup with a grunt, when Tala held her hand to his neck. A blade of blue sparks sprang from her fingers, snapping and popping dangerously close to Yat-sen’s throat. 

“No noise,” Tala hissed into his ear.

“Honored...Trainee,” Yat-sen choked out, growing perfectly still.

“Take me to the Scroll of Ages,” said Tala.


	24. Chapter 24

Twenty-four_The Death of a Scroll 

“P-please, Honored Trainee, I don’t understand,” begged Yat-sen. “W-why are you doing this?!”

He cried out when Tala shoved him. She yanked Yat-sen back by his shirt before he could fall. She held her sparks to his side, like a knife, careful not to really touch his clothes. Yat-sen stiffened, eyeing them.

“Walk,” Tala growled. 

“Did I do something to anger you? I-I would have taken you, should you have just asked!” Yat-sen continued to stammer. “Oh, I  _ knew _ I should have bowed a third time! Please, forgive me, Honored Trainee!”

Tala shoved him even harder. Yat-sen practically crumbled at the entrance to the three hallways. He covered his head, shaking violently and whispering some sort of prayer-chant. 

“Which one?” Tala snapped. 

Tala’s throat was tight, making her growl sound more like a squeak. Her eyes were hot with the threat of tears, making the already dark entryway even more blurry under the blue light of her magic. 

Yat-sen still prayed, his whispers escalating to desperate whimpers. 

“Yat-sen,” Tala ground out, her voice breaking. “which way?!”

Tears came to Tala’s eyes when Yat-sen cried out in terror. Tala wiped them away with a shaky hand. 

“Yat-sen, I need this!” Tala growled, trying again to sound intimidating, to sound  _ angry _ , but it came out desperate, instead. Her tear-filled cry echoed off of the chamber walls. “Tell me which way!”

Yat-sen flinched, and that was it. He was fully sobbing now, crying into his arms and shaking his head. 

Tala watched him, biting her lip, as tears streamed down her face. She remembered being at the mercy of the Elders, crying in very much the same way that he was. Instead of giving in to her sympathy for him, Tala curled her hands into fists. 

‘I have to be strong,’ she reminded herself, ‘I need to do this for Papa. It’s the only way to see him again!’

Her magic flared alongside her anger. With a rush of adrenaline, Tala yanked Yat-sen up, and once again held her magic close to him, this time at the man’s throat. It sparked brightly. 

“These are no games,” she hissed. “Tell me where! Stand up!”

Tala roughly pushed him away, standing back to give Yat-sen room. He rose slowly, lifting his hands up in surrender. 

“I  _ will  _ hurt you,” she warned him through clenched teeth. “Now, go.”

They walked for a short while longer down the rightmost path. It twisted in a peculiar way, the winding hallway growing narrower and narrower with each turn of the corner. Tala thought of the false pathways Dashi had once mentioned, her stomach dropping at the thought of being trapped beneath the Jade Circle and starving to death, if Yat-sen had tricked her.

She looked at Yat-sen’s shaking back, and watched his bony hand quiver as he brushed his fingers against the grainy wall of the hallway.

‘No, he’s too afraid to die a martyr,’ Tala figured, listening to Yat-sen’s terrified mumbling. ‘He thinks I might actually kill him, if he doesn’t obey.’

Tala bit the inside of her cheek, guilt clawing at her stomach. She shoved it down. 

‘It will be over soon,’ she thought, ‘and nobody will be hurt. Wuya just said that she wanted the Scroll, then she will tell you where Papa is! You just have to be mean a little while longer. Yat-sen will understand. He must!’

Tala’s gut began to churn, again. She swallowed back the sick feeling, and pressed a hand to her stomach. She stopped short, just inches from Yat-sen’s back. He had also stopped. 

“Yat-sen,” Tala choked, blinking back into reality. “What-”

“I-I,” Yat-sen stammered, “I need a certain candle to open the door, Honored Trainee… You remember.” 

Tala rubbed her eyes, an oncoming headache causing them to throb.

“Right,” she said. “Where?”

Tala looked to where Yat-sen’s shaky, twig-like finger was pointing to. A candle made of red and purple wax was placed high above them, resting on a ledge. The wall was made too smooth to climb. Tala grumbled.

“We need the Temple Guardian to be present, in order to reach it,” Yat-sen explained, “but it appears that Dojo isn't here. He may be with the Grand Master. You should just walk back with me. I-I’m sure this was just all a misunderstanding. You were trying to help! To-to hide the Scroll in a safer location, away from the witch! It’s a shame that Dojo isn’t-”

Tala flicked her fingers, and the candle apperated into her hand. She passed it to Yat-sen without a word. He held the candle close to his chest, and flinched with a small gasp when Tala glared at him, pointing to the door. 

Yat-sen inched closer to the intricate lock. Under the bright light of her sparks, Tala could see that it was in the shape of a phoenix, its beak pointed toward the sky with a small opening to pour the wax down into. Tala tried to inspect it more closely, but she was only just tall enough to peer over the rim of the beak. 

“Um, Honored Trainee?” asked Yat-sen, pointing to the sparks in her hand. “M-m-may I? To light the candle?”

Tala held her hand closer, and Yat-sen jumped back. “Ah- um, could you, maybe, make it… a bit  _ smaller _ ?”

Tala rolled her eyes, but obliged, twisting her hand to make the sparks settle into just her finger. It looked a bit like a sprinkling firework, the blue light wild and energetic, but contained. 

Yat-sen nervously swiped the candle over her finger, and the blue turned to an orange flame, when he pulled it away. 

“Alright then, Honored Trainee,” he said, “st-stand back.”

Yat-sen gingerly held his hand under the candle to keep the flame lit, and poured the dripping wax into the phoenix's mouth. It ran dark red, and spilled over the beak a little, thanks to Yat-sen’s shaking. 

When the wax began to drip down into the lock, The wings of the phoenix clicked. They bent inward, revealing strips of dark ruby from beneath wherever the wings’ feathers shifted. The feathers turned three times, until they all intersected, showing gold, then ruby, in a criss-cross pattern, until the tips of the wings met the tail, forming into the shape of a sword. 

Tala prepared herself for the sound of the mechanics behind the door this time, covering her ears with a grumble. The screeching of the other locks on the other side of it made her headache even worse. She ground her teeth together and flinched at the last, and loudest, screech of metal. 

Light poured into the hallway. Despite squinting, Tala brightened her sparks. She held them to Yat-sen again, reminding him of her intent, and nudged him inside. 

The light from the Scroll of Ages greeted the pair with a soft glow, and its light dimmed as Tala stepped close, gripping the back of Yat-sen’s shirt to keep him from running away and locking the door behind her. 

“Honored Trainee, I think-” said Yat-sen, hesitantly. 

Tala glared back at him, and the eunuch clamped his mouth shut, eyeing the door. 

Tala took a deep breath, and reached out. The Scroll of Ages was much bigger than she had realized, now that she was up close to it. The Scroll was actually around Tala’s same size, if not slightly bigger. Tala hissed under her breath. 

“ _ Even if I could teleport it out of the room _ ,” she growled to herself, “ _ it’s too big to get further than the doorway! How am I supposed to carry this thing?! What was it that Wuya said about the root spiral? Use something else to pull it across? _ ”

“Honored Trainee, I- uh, what are you saying?” Yat-sen squeaked. 

“ _ Aitai, _ ” Tala snarled. “Tying to think, Yat-sen. Stop your mouth!”

“Y-yes, but,”

“ _ Maybe.. I could drag it with that curtain on the wall, _ ” Tala grumbled, quietly. “ _ maybe _ _. At least until I get back above ground… no, someone could see it before I find Wuya. _ ”

“Honored Trainee..”

“ _ I guess I’ll just have to- _ ” Tala clicked her tongue, then whirled on Yat-sen, snapping a word that he could understand, “What?!”

Yat-sen’s smile was quivering, but there was a bit of confidence is his eyes. “I hear the masters coming.”

Tala gasped, and practically leapt toward the door, knocking the Scroll of Ages off of its easel. The Scroll snapped shut, no longer being held open by the golden dragon’s claws, and rolled toward the wall drape. 

The second the sparks were gone, Yat-sen tackled Tala to the floor. Yat-sen pinned one of Tala’s hands behind her back once Grand Master Wei, Master Young, and a handful of the Elders came through the doorway. 

He forced her up onto her knees, snarling into Tala’s ear, “How do  _ you _ like being manhandled,  _ Honored Trainee _ ?”

Tala struggled, but even with just his bony hands locking her wrists in place, Tala was no match in comparison to a fully-grown man. Tala growled and submitted to her defeat, knowing that even if she were to heabutt him, she wouldn’t make it past the masters- Master Young, more specifically. 

Tala glared up at him from where he stood, just behind Grand Master Wei, but lowered her eyes when the Grand Master addressed her: “Tala, what have you done?”

Tala took a deep breath. “ _ Jo _ , Grand Master, I was-”

“Don’t you use those _ filthy  _ words with the Grand Master, you insolent brat,” snarled Master Young. “Show him respect!”

He tired to step forward, but Grand Master Wei barred Master Young with his arm, the sleeve of his peacock robes draping down like a shimmering curtain. 

“ _ Jo, _ Grand Master,” said Tala, “what happened to the witch?”

‘Where are the boys?’ she added silently, but the look of understanding in the Grand Master’s eyes showed Tala that she didn’t have to ask. 

“The Honored Apprentices fought with her,” he said, gravely, “and  _ lost _ .”

Tala whipped her head up, looking at the Grand Master directly, now. She cried, “Are they living?!”

Tears rushed to Tala’s eyes, when she realized what Wuya could have done to them. She felt panic rise up into her chest as her stomach crumpled in on itself, making it much harder for Tala to breathe.

“Barely,” said Master Young. “The witch disappeared, and we had assumed she came here, looking for the Scroll of Ages, but-”

“But then we found the safe room open, and  _ you _ inside with my personal eunuch,” said the Grand Master, his calm voice in complete contrast to Master Young’s.  “Which brings me back to the question: What have you done?”

Tala forgot how to breathe, her chest heaving. She shook her head, breaking down into a sob, when words failed to come out of her mouth. 

“ _ I’m sorry! _ ” she cried, not caring if her mother tongue was damning or not. “ _ I just wanted my Papa back! I didn’t mean for anyone to be hurt! _ ” 

“Where is the Scroll, Tala?” asked Grand Master Wei. 

Tala bit the inside of her cheek, and pinned her eyes to the floor. She sniffled. 

“That is unfortunate,” said the Grand Master, folding his hands together beneath his sleeves. “Master Young, take hold of your pupil, and bring her to the lock up for further questioning. Master Yaozu, you and Master Dosei will take the remaining warriors from the third rank, and search for the Scroll.”

He made a point to stare Tala directly in the eyes, when he said, “It cannot have gotten too far, even if there  _ is _ a second accomplice.”

Tala tried to look behind Yat-sen. “But the Scroll is-”

Tala’s heart sank, when she saw that it was gone. “ _ How?! _ ” 

Tala craned her neck to see if it had rolled anywhere else, but she couldn’t find it. The Scroll of Ages was just gone.  

“ _ Where is it?! _ ” she cried, struggling against Yat-sen as he stood up and forced her into Master Young’s arms. “ _ Where is it?! _ ”

“Shut up!” hissed Master Young, twisting Tala’s arm behind her back. “I can’t believe I thought for even a second that you’ve changed!” 

He shoved her out the door, while Tala still struggled against him. She kicked the air, as he walked her down the long hallway, still crying out in Wupoyisho, “ _ Where is it?! _ ”

* * *

Tala grunted when she was thrown into a pile of hay. She lunged for the bars, but Master Young slammed them shut seconds before she reached them. Tala wrapped her hands around the bars, shaking the lockup’s cage. 

“Master, please understand!” she cried. “Someperson took it! They took the Scroll of Ages!”

“I’m leaving you here until you tell us where it is,  _ witch _ ,” said Master Young, dropping the lockup key into the sleeve of his robe. 

“Was not me!” Tala insisted.

Master Young scoffed. 

“Do not know who, or.. _ how _ , but someone works with the witch!” said Tala.

“Why did you go down to the safe room?” snapped Master Young, turning to glare at Tala. “Why did you force the eunuch to open it for you?!”

Tala shrunk back. 

“I was starting to believe you, Trainee,” he snarled. “I was starting to see what Chase saw. You were improving! You were trying! Now I know that I was right, all along.”

“No!” said Tala. 

“ _ No _ ?” Master Young looked shocked, but it melted into a bitter smile. “You fooled those boys, Tala, but you couldn’t fool me. You let that witch into the Temple, and you lead her to the Apprentices while they slept. You nearly killed my son. Again. Taking his friends  _ with _ him, no less.”

Tala let go of the bars and stepped back, hanging her head in shame. 

“I had wanted to be wrong, you know,” he said. “I felt like I had been too hard on you. I know you’re still just a child, and I wanted very much to see you as more than... I  _ wanted  _ what you did to have been an accident, like Chase kept insisting it was. Do you know what he said, when I found him lying in the rubble next to Dashi?”

Tala hugged herself, trying not to cry. She shook her head, whimpering.

“ _ Look _ at me!” Master Young shouted, rattling the cage. “You turned your back on your friends! At least pretend to be brave about it!”

Tala shook her head again, squeezing her eyes shut. She sensed him backing away from the cage. 

“Chase-” he said, voice breaking, “Chase told me that you left Dashi at the bridge before running off. He thought that you were hurt. He asked me to find you. He pleaded with me to find you so much that  _ I _ even hoped that you were unharmed. So, imagine my horror when Grand Master Wei and I found you trying to steal the Scroll of Ages right from under our noses! What do you think my son will say?”

Tala hicked, dropping to the ground. She cried into her knees, unable to hold back any longer. 

“Don’t you dare!” Master Young snarled. “ _ You _ betrayed  _ us _ ! You, a future Xiaolin Dragon, betrayed your brothers and left them to die! You do  _ not _ get to cry over them!”

“Not want to!” Tala cried. 

“Oh, you didn’t  _ want  _ to?! That makes this all better! You’re sorry, so you’re  _ totally _ innocent!” said Master Young. “What did you think was going to happen to them at the hands of a witch, Trainee?!”

“Said I not want to, I DID NOT!” Tala screamed. 

Sparks filled the cage, arcs of lighting reaching for each other above Tala’s head. Tala froze, watching them with wide eyes. Master Young was also watching the silent lighting, his narrowed eyes darting to keep up with the dancing sparks. Black marks scorched the walls, where blue lighting scratched at white stone. 

When the lighting faded away, Tala looked at Master Young, her heart pounding. 

“Well!” he said. “ _ More  _ secrets! I suppose we now know what you truly are, don’t we? What else have you been hiding?”

“Master Young, no, I-”

“You’re a liar, and you’re dangerous,” said Master Young. “I won’t enjoy watching you burn, but it certainly  _ will  _ be necessary for the safety of everyone else. I wish that I could say that it was a pleasure being your master, but you and I both know that would be a lie, and I  _ refuse _ to stoop down to your level. I’ll need to report this to the Grand Master.”

Master Young took one last squinty look at the scorch marks. He wasn’t so much as smirking, as he was, perhaps, tasting something sour and trying not to show it, the scar on his upper lip tugging inward. 

“Lightning! I’d have never guessed, especially not anything so quiet. When the Grand Master told me of your magic reports to him, this was left out,” he said, thoughtfully. “Does he know?”

Tala’s silence was damning, judging by the look on his face. Master Young turned on his heel. 

“This better be the last secret that you’ve hidden from us,” he growled, “or even the Grand Master won’t be able to protect you from the Council.”

“No, wait!” Tala begged, “Please! Master Young! It is not-”

But Tala forgot what else to say that would make sense, as she scrambled to reach the bars. Master Young walked away. She followed him down the length of the cage as far as it would allow her to go. 

“Master Young, listen! Please!” she called after him. 

“I’m done listening,” said Master Young, over his shoulder, “I need to be there, when my son wakes up. Keeping you here will ensure that I won’t have to do it a third time.”

She watched him leave, sliding to the lockup’s floor as she sobbed.

“Please,” she whimpered, “not mean to...”

Tala closed her eyes, and rested her forehead on the bars. She sighed, the surge of magic and adrenaline fading from her arms. She weakly bumped her head against the bars, cursing herself. 

The Xiaolin Apprentices were all injured, Wuya and the Scroll of Ages were  _ both _ missing, and Tala was framed for its disappearance. This couldn’t possibly get any worse, except maybe being burned at the stake by morning, and never getting the chance of seeing Papa again. 

“ _ This is all my fault _ ,” she mumbled. “ _ I was so stupid, to trust that evil witch _ .”

“ _ Daww, did widdle Tala tire herself out with another tantrum? _ ”

Tala jerked her head up. “ _ Wuya? _ ”

Wuya stepped out from behind another cage, holding a large scroll underneath her arm. She wiggled her fingers at Tala with her free hand, smiling cheekily. 

“ _ How did you get that?! _ ” asked Tala, rushing to her feet on shaky legs. She had to cling to the bars for support. 

“ _ Let’s just say that I have small friends in high places _ ,” said Wuya. 

Tala wrinkled her nose. “ _ What? _ ” 

“ _ I have my  _ _ ways _ ,” Wuya snapped. “ _ Ways you don’t need to know about _ . _ Now, how about we finish what we’ve started _ ?”

“ _ Great, great, _ ” Tala said, nodding as an attempt to seem eager. “ _ Let me out _ .”

“ _ No _ .” said Wuya, letting the Scroll of Ages roll open and fall to the ground. It stopped just short of the cage. Whatever glow of magic it held pulsed weakly, as if it were just as alive -and tired- as Tala was. 

Tala let go of the bars, watching the characters try to write themselves onto the paper, but the ink kept disappearing. The characters were stubborn though, and returned even more boldly whenever they faded and scribbled themselves back onto the parchment wildly, like a bird attempting to fly with a broken wing. Tala wanted to bend and pick it up, to comfort it, but she yanked her hands back with a gasp. 

Dark purple veins snaked their way through the paper, weaving between the characters. They snapped at each other as they weaved between each character, leaving a mess of exploding black in their wake.

“ _ What _ ?” Tala whispered, watching the black magic wrap around the last struggling words, choking them until they became just a bleeding splotch of dead, black ink. 

The rest of the Scroll’s light died out with the words, and the parchment’s color faded to a regular shade, dull without the yellow glow. The Scroll was completely lifeless. Tala felt sick, as if she had just witnessed something she shouldn’t have, but she couldn’t look away from it. 

“ _ I said no _ ,” said Wuya, sounding eerily too much like Mama, when she used to scold her. 

“ _ I don’t understand _ ,” said Tala, watching the purple veins snake back around and return to their mistress’s hand, running along the paper like water on glass. 

The magic dug back into Wuya’s fingertips and beneath her skin, visibly making their way back up to her face, beneath her veins. Wuya’s eyes glowed with a bright green light, as the magic returned to them. 

“ _ Let me make it simple _ ,” she said. “ _ I’m leaving  _ _ you _ _ in  _ _ that _ _ cage, until I’m done destroying the Xiaolin Temple. I’m keeping you out of my way, locked up nice and safe _ ! _ See, aren’t I a  _ _ good _ _ auntie? _ ”

“ _ Wuya! You can’t just leave me here! _ ” Tala snapped. “ _ What happened to our deal? You  _ _ said _ _ that you’d tell me where my father is, if I helped you to get the Scroll of Ages _ .”

“ _ Yes _ ,” cooed Wuya, “ _ and you  _ _ did _ _ help me, sweetie! _ ”

She bent down, snapping her fingers. Green fire licked the edge of the Scroll. It all happened so quickly. Peices of the parchment floated into the air, as the fire ate at the Scroll of Ages’ grey parchment. Inch by inch, the Scroll disappeared, a few chunks of it here-and-there breaking off and floating away before the fire could devour them. They blew up into the sky, higher and higher, dancing off into different directions across the ceiling before floating back down again. 

“ _ Ahh _ ,” said Wuya, as the smoke of the fire began to fill the room. “ _ Dark magic has such a pleasant aroma, don’t you agree _ ?”

“Tell me where Papa is,” Tala snarled. 

Her sudden use of common tongue seemed to shock Wuya for a few seconds, but then the witch’s wide eyes narrowed with a smirk. 

“ _ Don’t worry, I’ll tell you, _ ” said Wuya. “ _ After _ _ I kill all of your friends _ .”

“ _ What?! _ ” Tala tried to rush the door of the cage. When it didn’t budge, she jiggled the lock. “ _ Wuya, no! That wasn’t a part of our deal! _ ”

Wuya watched Tala struggle, smiling widely. 

“ _ Poor, widdle Tala _ ,” she said. “ _ No brains, and hardly enough magic to get herself out of a cage. Even if you did get out, you’d never be able to stop me _ .”

Tala tried to jam the lock between the bars, but it was too short to reach. She slammed it down, letting the chain rattle, but there wasn’t enough traction to so much as loosen it. 

“ _ Come on, Tala, grow up _ ,” said Wuya. “ _ What did you  _ _ think _ _ was going to happen _ ?”

“ _ I thought you just wanted the Scroll! _ ” Tala said, slamming the lock down again. “ _ You told me that you just wanted the Scroll! _ ” 

“ _ Did it  _ _ really _ _ never cross your mind that I’d kill anybody?! Did you really think they’d just let me walk out of here, after destroying the Scroll of Ages _ ?” scoffed Wuya. “ _ That they’d let  _ _ you _ ?”

“ _ Please, don’t hurt them _ !” Tala cried. “ _ You’ve done enough damage! You weren’t even supposed to do that! _ ”

“ _ Oh no,  _ _ that _ _ was going easy on them _ ,” said Wuya. “ _ The next attack I have planned is far worse. There won’t be any survivors _ .”

“ _ Wuya! _ ”

“ _ Tala. _ ”

Tala’s stomach sank, as the last bits of Wuya’s fire fizzled out, leaving only the charred leather of the Scroll of Ages’ binding behind. Wuya, however, just looked bored. 

“ _ I’ll come back to get you, when I need you _ ,” said Wuya. “ _ In the meantime, enjoy the smell. Burning flesh is especially sweet _ .  _ Though, thanks to your mother, I guess you already knew that _ .” 

“ _ Wuya, no! _ ” Tala cried. “ _ This isn’t a part of our deal! Stop! _ ” 

But the witch was already gone, taken away by some dark magic that Tala did not yet know. Whatever it was blew out the fire as it rushed Wuya off, dispelling the smoke and scattering the peices of the Scroll of Ages that was left into the air. They flitted down, like snowflakes. 

“ _ Don’t hurt them _ !” Tala hollered to the sky. “ _ Come back _ !” 


	25. Chapter 25

Twenty-five_ Help  

Jia dabbed the sweat from Chase Young’s forehead. He and the other two Xiaolin Apprentices were lying motionless in their cots, and Jia was the only maid brave enough to stay and take care of them. Most others had been evacuated, after the injured Apprentices were found. Even Jun left with Huhu, but Jia couldn’t. 

She looked over at the other two cots, when she heard one of them groan. It was Dashi. Jia rushed over to him, taking the cooling cloth she left beside his cot and dipping it into the water bowl. She placed it beneath his chin, and Dashi quieted. 

“I have to do something,” she said, listening to the rising cries of those who were too slow to escape the giants.

Her fingers flicked at the idea. She had always been able to restore her own cuts and bruises, but never anything on this scale. Using too much magic could exhaust her, and Jia would be defenseless, if the witch attacked. 

Jia held her breath, tasting her magic. It was only the faintest flavor of peach, a question waiting for her to answer. 

“I have to try,” she said. “They’re our only hope.”

She placed one hand over Dashi’s shoulder, and the other over his eyes. She cried out, when her magic surged from her hands and into him with a white light. The faint aroma of fresh snow filled the room, as Dashi’s bruises began to fade. His shoulder popped as it shifted, and his collarbone snapped back into place. He groaned.

“Thank you, grandmother,” Jia breathed. 

She was already winded, but she still had two more Apprentices to fix. She moved on to Guan, as Dashi began to sit up. 

“Did I die?” he asked, testing the rotation in his shoulder. 

“Please don’t talk, Honored Apprentice,” Jia told him between heavy breaths. “You’ll ruin my concentration.”

Dashi leaned over, and she could feel him watching her. She placed both hands on Guan’s chest, and sent her magic into him, light filling the room again. 

“Woah,” said Dashi. “You’re like Tala?”

Jia shook her head, breathing raggedly. “I have to move quickly. A giant must have seen this, by now.”

Guan gasped, and shot up.  

“Witch!” he snarled, but Jia held him back from leaping up from the cot. 

Dashi jumped up from his cot, and grabbed Guan’s arm to help her steady him.

“Calm yourself, Honored Apprentice,” she said, “You’re safe.”

“The witch,” said Guan, looking to Dashi with confusion. “Where?”

The screams outside grew louder. Dashi met Jia’s eyes. “Hurry!”

“What’s going on?” Guan demanded. “We have to go out there! We have to stop her!”

“Easy, buddy,” said Dashi. “She needs to help Chase, first.”

Guan looked over at Jia as she placed her hands on Chase’s chest.

“What is she doing?” Guan asked, his voice shaking.

“It’s okay, Guan,” Jia heard Dashi tell him, gently. “She’s just trying to help.”

Jia felt so weak, dizziness overtaking her. Once more, she surged her magic, whining with the effort. 

“No, stop!” Guan cried out, as her light filled the room. “Stop touching him!”

“Guan, don’t!” Dashi warned, barely able to hold him back. “She’s helping!”

The room swam, but she kept pushing. Chase was taking longer than the others. There wasn’t much in her left. Jia slumped over, but was unable to catch herself. She fell to the floor.

“Jia!” cried Dashi. He rushed to help her up. He lightly tapped her cheeks, then pinched her nose. “Wake up, wake up! Gotta go, right now!”

Jia smacked his hand away, snarling, “I didn’t faint! I just used up all of my energy. Help me up. We need to run.”

Dashi moved her to a chair, and Jia flopped into it, feeling her whole body sink. She sighed, only having enough energy to smile at Chase through half-closed eyes, when he sat up. 

“Welcome back, Honored Apprentices,” she slurred. “You’re welcome.”

Guan was the only one who looked less than thrilled. He stormed over to the window with a dark expression on his face. 

“We have to leave,” he said. “Your  _ magic _ has alerted them to our wearabouts. I tried to warn you.”

Steady vibrations shook the room. Jia didn’t need to guess what it was.The rumbling grew more violent as the giant approached, rattling glass and knocking bowls from tables. 

“We have to go!” said Chase, scrambling out of his cot.

He and Dashi both draped one of Jia’s arms over their shoulders, lifting her from the chair. Guan let them pass first, glaring at Jia. They escaped, Guan closing the door behind them for a shield, just as a rocky hand slammed down from the ceiling, destroying everything else inside the room.

* * *

Tala slammed the lock again, crying out with anger. She gave up, slumping back down to the floor of the cage. She coughed on the lingering smoke, choking on the smell of it. 

Three hours. Three hours trapped in here, while Wuya was outside wreaking havoc. Tala tried to use her Push on the lock.The lock lifted itself into the air, and tapped against the bars lightly. The strain of trying to open the lock only made Tala more tired. She hadn’t stopped trying to use her magic from the time Wuya left, and since Tala hadn’t allowed herself to recharge after her lightning tantrum, she wasn’t recovering. 

Tala dropped her arm, sighing angrily, knowing that if she wasted any more energy on trying to use magic, she wouldn’t be able to move. The movement of her arm kicked up the peices of the Scroll of Ages that had fallen around her cage.

“ _ For some special, mystical item of destiny, the Scroll of Ages sure did burn like regular paper _ ,” she told herself, watching a large chunk of it, the ends charred black and ashy, fly up past her face. 

Tala caught it, before the piece could float out of reach. She read one word on it: Tala Bao. 

A stone filled Tala’s throat and her eyes hazed, but she was too tired to cry. She’d done enough crying, and her failed attempts to escape were taking their toll. 

Sounds of screams and the roaring of rock giants came from outside, rising up like ghosts all around her. Tala curled into herself, listening. She dropped the scroll scrap, letting it land at her feet, her name left face-up. She looked at it, reading the word over and over.

“ _ It was your own fault for choosing me _ ,” she told it. “ _ I never asked for a destiny. I just want to be with Papa. You, and all the masters, tried to take that away from me by making me some special monk, so I had to stay and train for something I’m not even good at, instead of looking for him! You  _ _ deserved _ _ to be burned. _ ” 

Tala half-expected it to glow in response, like the Scroll of Ages always seemed to, but the scrap with her name on it just flittered slightly, when she sighed. 

“ _ I _ _ deserve to be burned… _ ” she said. “ _ All of them are going to die, because of me! I just wanted to see Papa again! This isn’t fair! _ ”

The scrap just sat there, lifeless.

“ _ What? _ ” Tala snapped. “ _ What do you expect me to do?! I used too much magic, and I can’t get out of the cage without it!  _ _ I’m _ _ trapped, and  _ _ you’re _ _ dead, and we can’t do anything to help them! _ ”

Tala couldn’t stop thinking about the purple veins choking the life out of the Scroll’s characters, their black ink splattering to the edge of the parchment. She remembered Grand Master Wei telling her that the Scroll of Ages held the last bit of Xiaolin magic in the world. Wuya had killed it in front of her. The thought twisted Tala’s stomach. 

“ _ I should burn you, too _ !” she told the scrap, angry at the Scroll of Ages for not putting up more of a fight, for something so magical. 

“ _ It’s not  _ _ my _ _ fault Wuya hurt you!” she cried. “Can you blame me for helping her?! I didn’t want to, but she knows where Papa is! I  _ _ need _ _ to find him!” _

Tala wiped at her tears, glaring at the paper _.  _

_ “Stop looking at me like that,” _ she scolded it. _ “I said I was sorry! Help me!  _ _ Do _ _ something! Show me what to do! Glow! Anything! _ ” 

Still, the scrap did nothing. Tala’s chest tightened. 

“ _Please_ ,” she begged, “ _I’m sorry for what I did! You_ _have_ _to be alive! You_ _have_ _to have magic! You chose me and my friends to become Xiaolin Dragons, so please,_ _help me to save them! Show me how!_ ”

A clatter from the entrance made Tala jump. She quickly picked the scrap up, folded it, and tucked it into her shoe. A bucket rolled past one of the cages, and a broom fell beside it. Whoever had knocked them over was coughing. 

At first, Tala thought it was a snake that fell onto the floor when a long, green thing slapped the ground with its belly. The snake, however, groaned. Tala realized that it wasn’t a snake.

Dojo pushed himself up with one of his foreclaws, rubbing his head with the other. 

“ _ Find the girl, Dojo. _ Yeah, I’ll find her alright,” he grumbled. “I’ll find her, and I’ll fry her up like a New Year’s goose, for-”

His jaw fell open, when he looked up to meet Tala’s eyes.

“You!” he snarled, pointing a claw at her. “You’ve got a  _ lotta _ nerve breaking into the vaul- Ahh! The Scroll!”

Dojo rushed over to the charred leather case, and hugged it. 

“Come on, Ages, old buddy,” he cried, “speak to me!”

“Mr. Dojo, Wuya-” 

“I  _ knew  _ you were trouble, from the start!” Dojo cried. “I told Grand Master Wei that you’d bring  _ nothing _ but bad, but did he ever listen to me?  _ Noooo _ ! All he cared about was that stupid,  _ stupid _ curse! And now the Scroll of Ages is ga-ha-one!”

Dojo sobbed loudly, blowing his nose into the charred casing. Tala winced.

“Mr. Dojo?”

“Are there peices left?” he asked, whimpering.

“..What?” Tala asked, shifting to fix the heel of her shoe.

“Are there  _ peices _ left!” Dojo shouted. “Or did you makes sure there was nothing left behind enough to even bury it properly, you monster! I can’t even give the Scroll of Ages a good retirement, with just a leather strap! It’s bad enough that I can’t save Grand Master W-w-w,” 

He started to sob into the casing again, blubbering even more loudly than before.  

“Sorry, Mr. Dojo,” said Tala, “but you must-”

“A thousand years!” Dojo cried out, “Wuya is preparing to cast the world into a thousand years of darkness as we  _ speak _ , and now there will be no more Xiaolin monks to rise up and stop her, because the Scroll of Ages is all burnt up! This is  _ your _ fault!”

“I know!” Tala shot back. “Just  _ listen _ to-”

“Grand Master Wei told me to find you. You know, before he was  _ captured _ !”

Oh.. Tala pressed her hand to her forehead, looking to her shoes and realizing that she  _ hadn’t _ really thought about what Wuya would do, once Tala’s job was complete. Her cheeks burned at the thought of how stupid she was for thinking so narrowly. Wuya really  _ was _ planning on killing everyone!

“Well,  _ I  _ don’t think that I should let you out!” said Dojo. “For all we know, you  _ helped _ her to get the Scroll of Ages! Why else would you be in the vault?!”

“Not-” Tala stammered, “I was-”

“Now he’s gone!” Dojo cried. “All of the Elders are gone! Gone, gone, gone!”

Tala’s heart jumped into her throat, trying to escape the guilt in her stomach. “Where are the Apprentices?”

Dojo blew his nose again into the leather, ignoring her. 

“Mr. Dojo!” Tala cried. “The Apprentices!”

“Why should I tell you, traitor?” Dojo snapped. His snout was red from blowing.

“I have magic, too!” said Tala. “Let me out.  _ I _ will fight Wuya!”

“You?” Dojo laughed. “You’re hardly even a Trainee,  _ Trainee _ ! Besides, how do I know this isn’t just some trick, and you’re just gonna lock me up in there instead, and feed me to a rock giant?”

“Mr. Dojo, please! I  _ must _ do something!” said Tala, “We have no time! We must stop Wuya, before she kills the Apprentices! Let me out!”

“No way, no how!” said Dojo.“I know a Heylin trick, when I see one! I hope one of your buddy, Wuya’s, rock giants steps on you!”

“Grand Master Wei said to let me out, right?” Tala snapped. “He would ask for a reason!”

Dojo turned his snout to the air. “Maybe!”

“Let me out!” Tala cried.

Dojo began to slither away, snout in the air and the charred leather bundled up in his arms, but he was blown back when a giant foot crashed through the wall. 

Tala caught him when he flew between the bars, dropping the leather outside of the lockup. Dojo tried to scream, but Tala covered his mouth and dove behind the pile of hay as the giant lifted the lockup’s roof, crumbling the walls around them. 

* * *

Dashi and Chase helped Jia to the kitchen floor, gently laying her onto her sleeping mat. She smiled up at them, and to Chase said, “I owe you one. Tala should be thrilled.”

“I owed you one, first,” said Chase, feeling her forehead. “..Let’s  _ not _ tell Tala that. She’ll never let me live it down.”

Jia grinned weakly, before turning her head to Dashi. “I never thanked you for protecting Jun, and keeping our place at the Temple. Thank you.”

“Stop talking like you’re dying,” said Dashi. “We’re _ all  _ getting out of here.”

His pointed remark was aimed at Guan, but he wasn’t listening. Guan paced at the door, biting the nail of his thumb as he kept look out. He spit the nail out, and slapped his hand onto the doorframe. 

“Can you calm down?” Chase snapped, over his shoulder. “She saved our lives!”

Guan turned on him. He pointed at Jia, his face twisted with rage.

“Magic is magic!” he snarled. “I can still feel it inside of me!  _ You _ can, can’t you?! How do we know she won’t use it to control us?”

“That’s ridiculous!” said Chase. “We were sitting ducks, back at the Medicine Suite! She made sure that we could escape!”

Guan stepped close, brushing noses with him. “How do you  _ know _ , Chase?”

Chase glared at him, grinding his jaw. Neither of them blinked. 

“Guys!” Dashi snapped. “Aren’t you forgetting something? We’re trying to hide, here. Lower your voices.”

“Dashi’s right,” said Chase, turning from Guan. “There are more important things to worry about.”

“Wow,” said Dashi. “I’m ‘right.’ It really is the end of the world.” 

“Do you know where Tala is?” asked Jia.

“Who cares,” snapped Guan. 

“Don’t say that,” said Chase. 

“She’s a coward, who left Dashi to die,” said Guan. “It’s obvious that Tala does not care about us. Why should we care about her?”

“What are you talking about?” Chase asked. “She _ is  _ one of us! She helped Dashi escape his apartment, before the rock giants could crush him. She probably just got stuck somewhere. She could be hurt! We  _ should _ be trying to find her! Tell him, Dashi.”

Chase looked at Dashi, when he didn’t answer. Dashi’s head was hung low, as he continued to help Jia cool down, with a cloth at her neck. 

“Tell him!” Chase insisted. 

“Tala saved my life,” said Dashi, quietly, “but I don’t think she’s one of us.”

“I can’t believe you guys,” said Chase, shaking his head. 

“Hey, I don’t want to believe it either,” said Dashi, “but last night, Tala snuck into my apartment and woke me up, then my roof collapsed. I couldn’t get up fast enough, so Tala had to drag me out. I tried to get her to stay before she ran off, but with my bad shoulder, I couldn’t stop her. Well, my cracked ribs could have also played a factor.”

“That doesn’t mean anything,” said Chase, checking the window for approaching giants. The path was clear.  “She was trying to save you.”

“The thing is,” said Dashi, shaking his head, “Tala wasn’t frantic. She wasn’t trying to escape anything. She may have gotten to me before they did, but Tala  _ wasn’t _ running from any rock giants. She was completely calm, when she told me to run. Tala  _ knew _ something was up.”

“Come on, guys,” he said. “Don’t be stupid. We’re wasting time. We’re all healed now, so we should be trying to find our teammate. She’s still a Xiaolin Warrior, like us. We should try to make sure that she’s safe, too.”

“She wasn’t _ hurt _ , Chase!” said Dashi. “At  _ all _ . You gotta understand: The giant aimed for me, and  _ only _ me. I was trying to tell you that, when you found me at the bridge. With the fact that Tala somehow knew something bad was going to happen…Chase, please. Don’t make me say it. I  _ really _ don’t want to say it.”

Hannibal Bean’s words echoed through Chase’s ears. ’ _ Who knows what that little witch could do. _ ’

Chase covered his mouth, letting Dashi’s words sink in. Was she really helping the witch?

“I know you really wanted to believe in her, Chase,” said Dashi, “but I don’t think Tala believes in us. We can’t afford to find her, and then have Tala turn us in to Wuya. We should be careful. Even if she’s not with Wuya, we can’t take that risk. Too many lives are at stake.” 

“And what about Tala’s life?” Jia asked. “Chase  _ just  _ said that she’s one of you! What if the witch finds her, and Tala  _ isn’t _ working with her?”

“Tala abandoned us,” said Guan. “She should no longer be our concern. The Xiaolin Dragons have protected the world’s balance for hundreds of years without the Wind dragon, and we can survive doing it again for another fifty.”

“So you would let that kid die,” said Jia, “just so-”

“Jia,” Chase snapped. “They won’t listen to us. Stop. Keep your voice down. We should be coming up with a plan, not arguing.”

Jia turned her head away, her eyes glossy. 

“Well, in any case, we have to keep moving,” said Chase, sighing. “Wuya can’t be too far behind.”

Jia shifted, groaning. Dashi held a hand at her back to help her sit up. 

“So none of you care if Tala is hurt or dead?” she asked. 

“I care!” said Chase through clenched teeth, fighting himself to keep from shouting. 

“You’re the one she always told me was making fun of her,” said Jia, glaring at Chase. “That doesn’t sound much like caring, Honored Apprentice. Let’s not forget how your father runs her as ragged as a beaten mule, all the while  _ you  _ just stand by and watch!” 

“Don’t you  _ dare _ bring Master Young into this!” said Guan, baring his teeth. “He is a good man!”

“He overworked a child over and over again until she collapsed, because he couldn’t stand the way she spoke, and the  _ only _ thing you two did was turn your heads away, as if it was all  _ perfectly normal _ for Tala to be falling and fainting so much,” said Jia, matching Guan’s glare. “I know that  _ you _ kicked her in the head, too.”

“Is that what she told you?” Guan snapped. “What happened between us was an accident. Both of us agreed on that. Tala always over-exaggerates everything. Master Young only pushes us as far as he knows we can handle.”

“I know  _ that’s _ a lie, because I was the one who tended to her injuries every night, before Tala cried herself to sleep!” said Jia. “As far as I’m concerned, if Tala  _ did _ turn, it’s on you _ teammates _ for not protecting her from your abusive master!”

“Hey!” snapped Chase. “ _ I’m _ not the one claiming to be Tala’s best friend, hiding secrets like  _ thiiiis _ -” he waved a hand over Jia, trying to emulate the image of magic, “from her! Didn’t you think that would have been useful information to Tala?  _ Maybe  _ she wouldn’t have turned, if-”

“Again,” said Dashi, tossing his hands up into the air, “inside voices, please! Is this all really  _ that _ important, right now? What matters is that Tala is gone, and she’s probably not going to come back to help us. What Chase said earlier was right. We need to focus on surviving, and taking down Wuya.”

The room fell into silence. Guan went back to pacing around the doorway. Chase turned back to the window, a growl humming in his chest. There was still nothing outside. The ruined Xiaolin Temple was a ghost town of broken buildings and uprooted trees. He was surprised that their hideout in the kitchen was even left standing. It probably wouldn’t be, for very long.

“We have to move,” he said. “Wuya won’t keep anything standing. We’re running out of time, before she comes here. We shouldn’t be arguing about who to blame for it.”

“Some Xiaolin heroes you are, turning a blind eye to a little girl’s suffering,” grumbled Jia. “No wonder she hates you. You’re just going to ignore the fact that she could very well still be out there and badly injured, now?”

Chase crossed the room, opening a few cabinets in search of food. They needed supplies if they were going to hide. Chase wasn’t risking any of them starving to death, not even someone as grating on the ears as Jia. He grabbed whatever he could find, which meant a few slightly-ripened pears and an old pound-bag of rice with a hole in it.

“Guan,” he said, pointing to one of the mats left behind by the evacuation, “get those sheets. We should take anything edible that we can find. Anything we can use to bind injuries too, in the case we come across any of the wounded.”

‘In the case we run across Tala,’ he added silently, looking back over at Jia. 

She was making a point not to look at anyone, glaring at the floor with folded arms and a clenched jaw. Chase hated to admit sympathizing with her -really, he did- but Jia’s worry over Tala matched his, and he was grateful for her to voice the opinions he couldn’t afford to in the moment, not with Guan and Dashi ganging up on him. He was grateful for a second voice in the matter.

Guan began to help, grabbing the sheets and opening more cabinets. Chase took one of the sheets that Guan had brought over, and tied it around the food, slinging the makeshift bag over his shoulder.

“That’s it, then?” asked Jia. “The mighty Xiaolin prodigy, our strongest warrior, is running away? What about the masters? Wuya has them captured! What about Tala? If she’s not badly hurt, she can help you to fight! I’ll heal her, too!”

“You’re still too weak,” Chase dismissed, checking the widow again.

The coast was still clear. Chase didn’t like how quiet it was. His eyes lingered for a last quick scan before going to bundle more food. 

“Didn’t you hear Dashi?” asked Guan. “Tala is working with the witch! Even if she is not already dead, she won’t help us.”

“You don’t know that,” said Jia. “Tala saved his life!”

“Yeah, but either way,” said Chase, “we can’t wait around for someone who might not show up to help. We have to move, and find somewhere to regain our strength. If the masters are dead, then the Xiaolin Dragons are the only line of defense against Wuya. If we keep sitting here arguing, then we’ll die, and the world will fall into chaos. Now,  _ keep _ your _ mouth  _ shut, if you want to stay alive by the time this is over. Hopefully, we’ll find Tala on our way out of here.”

“Help me up, Dashi,” clipped Jia. “I’m going to go look for her, myself.”

“Don’t be stupid,” said Dashi. “You can hardly move.”

“I’ll crawl,” she snapped. 

“Help her up, Dashi,” said Chase. “We need to get moving anyway, if we want to stay a step ahead of the witch.”

“I’m not going with  _ you _ ,” insisted Jia, “I’m going to find Tala!”

“Oh  _ no _ ,” said a feminine voice. It circled the room, wrapping around them like smoke. 

Chase and Guan came back-to-back, watching the ceiling, and Dashi stood over Jia. Everyone tensed, when the walls began to crumble around them. A portion of the kitchen roof was torn away, splintering in the hands of a rock giant. It peeked through the hole it made, an ugly smile spread across its face.

Wuya was sitting upon the giant’s shoulder. She locked eyes with Chase, smiling. 

“Tala’s going to come find  _ you _ .”

* * *

The giant bent low, sniffing at the leather casing in front of the lockup’s cage. Dojo reached out, trying to escape Tala’s grasp,  but she snatched his arm back. He writhed against her, and Tala tackled him, forcing them both onto their stomachs when the rock giant tried to peer inside the cage. Tala curled her legs in around Dojo, hoping that the giant couldn’t see them over the hay pile. 

The giant lost interest in the hay, and poked at the leather again. It picked it up and bit down, chewing a chunk of it off with a wet snap. The ugly creature lifted its head, and Tala could hear it chewing on the casing. She tried not to gag when the monster burped. Then, the rumbling of its footsteps faded away in search of elsewhere for its next meal. 

Tala held Dojo down until she was sure that the giant had moved on. When she sat up, Dojo wriggled free. 

“Believe me, now?!” Tala growled at him. 

The dragon glared at her from a safe distance, hugging his tail. “No!”

Charred paper was picked up by the wind, free to fly off without walls to surround them. 

“The Scroll of Ages!” said Tala, rushing to her feet to try to catch a piece. 

“Catch it!” said Dojo. “Catch the pieces! There might be something useful written on them!”

It flew out of the cage, before she could catch it. She reached her arm through the bar, but the paper spiraled and swirled away, carried off with leaves and a few other pieces. 

“ _ Now, _ look what you’ve do-” Dojo cried, but Tala snatched him up quickly and slapped a hand over his snout. 

“Shh! Giants!” she hissed, pointing in the direction the rock giant had stomped off to.

Dojo grumbled. Tala placed him back onto the ground gently, smiling sheepishly when Dojo glared at her, pointing his claws from his eyes to her. 

He slithered to the edge of the cage, picking up whatever pieces of the Scroll of Ages had yet to fly off. There weren’t many, and most were charred black. Dojo gingerly took a big, black clump into his claws, sighing. It crumbled, the ashes following each other into the wind. Dojo’s eyes filled with tears again. He sniffed loudly.

“I’ve watched over the Scroll of Ages for three-hundred years,” he said, “and today, I failed.”

He looked up at the already blackening sky. Tala saw flashes of green lightning dance behind the clouds. The wind picked up, clapping the trees’ branches together, seeming to congratulate Wuya on her triumph. 

“You take one little snack break, and the world falls into a thousand years of darkness,” said Dojo. “I shouldn’t even call myself a Kanojocho.” 

Tala watched him try to gather more of the pieces, until he squeezed between the bars. The end of Dojo’s tail was stuck, but he yanked it free with one good tug. 

“Mr. Dojo?” Tala asked, quietly. “Sorry.”

Dojo looked over his shoulder, bitterly grumbling, “Yeah? So am I.”

“Not too late,” said Tala. “We  _ can _ stop Wuya.”

“What are we gonna do, kid?” he asked. “I’m just a Temple guardian, who couldn’t even stand gaurd long enough to protect the Scroll of Ages from being stolen by a stinkin’ _ twelve year old  _ -no offense- and you’re just a first-year Trainee. Neither of us are match for a seasoned Heylin Sorceress.”

“Not alone,” Tala agreed, shaking her head, “but together, we can.”

“How would you know?”

One of the pieces Dojo held in his arms came loose, and tried to blow away. Tala jumped up onto her tippy-toes, and caught it. She handed it back to Dojo through the bars. His eyes widened at the gesture.

“We.. what is word?..Smell _ , _ ” she said, shrugging.

Dojo grumbled. 

Tala smiled, adding, “but the Scroll of Ages chose _ us.” _

Dojo gave a small smile too, taking it from her. 

The little dragon shook his head, hard. 

“Wait, no,” he said, crossing his claws into a time-out symbol, “reality check, here. What kind of plan do you have in mind, to stop Wuya? She’ll totally clobber you to a pulp!”

“Wuya owes me,” said Tala, her smile widening. 

Dojo narrowed his eyes. “What?”

“Big story,” said Tala, “too long to tell.”

“This isn’t helping me in the whole believing you department,” Dojo huffed. 

“ _ Aitai, _ Mr. Dojo,” Tala groaned. “ _ Time _ ? We not  _ have _ any?”

“You know what, stop calling me Mr, and I’ll let you out,” scolded Dojo, wagging a claw at her. “That was my Poppi. I’m too young for anything like  _ Mr. Dojo _ .”

“Deal!” Tala said, nodding eagerly.

“Now, hold on,” he said, pointing the claw at her. “I think I stored the key in my left stomach.”

He started to cough something up, but the only thing that came out of Dojo’s mouth was a smelly burp. Tala held her nose, waving away the smell with a grimace. 

“Sorry.” he said, with a toothy smile, “wrong stomach. One moment, please.”

Pebbles began to jump over the ground, as stomping footsteps approached. Tala whipped her head over her shoulder. She couldn’t tell which way the giant was approaching from, but the monster’s footfalls were coming down harder with each second. She grabbed the bars tightly, pressing against them. 

“Dojo, hurry!”

Dojo nearly choked, while trying to hack the key up. His eyes bulged with panic as he squeezed his neck. 

The steady, loud footsteps became violent rumbling as the rock giant came up from behind them, but it had not seemed to notice Tala and Dojo yet. It sniffed the air with a growl, then bent to open a broken door, struggling to get the tiny doorknob to move with his bulgy fingers. The doorknob fell off with a _ tink!  _ and rolled into the snow. The giant smashed the door down with its fist, grunting angrily. 

“Dooojoo,” Tala whistled through her teeth, eyeing the giant as Dojo wheezed and pounded on his chest.

“One,” Dojo coughed, “second…”

One last hack, and the key was up. Dojo spit it out into his claws.

“Hurry, hurry!” Tala hissed, waving her hands. 

Dojo held it out to her, then yanked it back before Tala could grab it.

“Promise that you won’t feed me to a rock giant,” he said.

“Yes! No! I will not!” Tala’s voice strained with fear, when it seemed the rock giant heard them.

The giant dropped the rubble he had picked up, and stood up. Tala’s whole body shook with its footsteps. 

“Dojo!” Tala hissed, her teeth chattering. 

Dojo shoved the key into the lock, and held on to it as the lock swung around. The giant was only seconds upon them when he was able to turn the key. Tala practically kicked the door open, yanking Dojo off of the lock. She ran as fast as she could, zigzagging away from the rock giant’s path. 

The creature roared loudly, more than likely alerting more to Tala and Dojo’s presence. Tala dared not look around to check. She kept running, holding Dojo as tightly to her chest as she could, scanning ahead for any cover that she could find. 

“Tala, let go!” Dojo cried, trying to claw up her shoulder.

“No!” Tala cried. “They are hungry!”

“I can get us out of here, but I need room!” said Dojo. 

Tala ducked when a boulder whizzed past her head, covering Dojo with her hand. 

“Must hide,” Tala squeaked. “Must hide!”

“There’s nowhere  _ left _ !” cried Dojo. “Let go of me!”

Tala ignored him, diving behind what used to be the corner of a room. Another boulder flew over them, smashing into the side of the building that was left barely standing. The awning on it fell, smashing into clay shards. 

Tala covered her head, using her chin to shield Dojo. Tala’s eyes were squeezed shut, but she could feel Dojo’s claws dimple into her cheeks.

“Tala,” he shouted above the sound of another boulder breaking, “we have to go! Now!”

Tala shook her head, holding her ears against the roars of the giants, as they tried to flush out their prey with terrible bellows.

“Tala!” he tried again, “It will be okay! Let me fly us out of here!”

Tala jerked her head up, crying, “Fly?!” 

Dojo touched his tiny forehead to hers, doing his best to look Tala directly into her eyes as intensely as possible. 

“Trust me, like you’re asking me to trust you!” he said. “The Scroll of Agest chose us, right?!”

Tala swallowed her fear, and nodded. She let Dojo crawl out of her lap. 

Dojo instantly began to shapeshift, growing larger than even the giants that now had them surrounded. He roared at them, fire spewing from his mouth. The giants covered their faces, and Dojo bent his head down to Tala. 

“Get on, quick!” he cried. 

Tala blinked away her awe at the sheer mass of him, and grabbed on to Dojo’s yellow mane. Her surprised yell was swallowed up by the wind, when Dojo rushed up into the air.

Tala squeezed herself to his long body, as the dragon bounded through the dark sky, his tail spiraling. He was going so fast that Tala’s loose braids came undone. Her hair whipped wildly behind her. It wasn’t until they were at a safe height, did Dojo slow down. He spiraled above where the main courtyard used to be, flying in cautious circles. 

“Do you see anyone?” Tala cried above the wind.

Dojo shook his massive head. Tala was jerked around on his neck, and had to hug herself to the dragon’s spine to keep from falling. 

“Just the rock giants,” Dojo called. “They’re everywhere!”

Below them, the entire Xiaolin Temple was in ruins. Rock giants lazily wandered around, lifting parts of building, and splitting trees apart to look through their branches. 

“They are looking for something!” Tala called. 

“But what?” asked Dojo, “The Scroll of Ages was already destroyed. What else could Wuya be looking for?”

“Not what,” Tala realized, touching her mother’s pendant. “Who.”


	26. Chapter 26

Twenty-six_  The Truth

“I told you to  _ find _ her!” shouted Wuya.  

The center-standing of the three giants in front of her spoke with wide eyes, his jumbled words sounding more like the grinding of stones.

“What do you mean she escaped!?” the witch cried.

The giant to the left of her began to speak as well, but Wuya cut him off.

“To _ bring _ her to me,” seethed Wuya, pinching the bridge of her nose, “not to throw  _ rocks _ at her! You know, since your idiot cohort decided to pick up a  _ snack _ instead of the cage she was in!”

He and the other giants turned to the one on the right, who was still chewing on the leather strap in question. The right-most giant only paused a moment to shrug, then continued eating despite his mistress and the other giants giving him a baleful look. 

“Idiots!” said Wuya, slapping her forehead. 

Dashi watched this from inside the cage-like stomach of a spiked giant, careful not to sit up too tall, because of the stalactites hanging above him. He shied away from its hand, when the giant reached down to scratch at the bars in front of his face.  

“I told you she escaped!” Chase hissed, craning his neck to glare at Dashi from his own prison. 

Dashi shushed Chase, straining his ear toward the witch and her giants. He cursed inwardly, wishing that Tala was there to translate the giant’s grumbling. He cursed again, remembering why she wasn’t.

Dashi deflated and settled back inside the stomach-cage, resting against the wall, wishing that he was wrong. But whether she was working for Wuya or not, Dashi knew that Tala wouldn’t come back for them after how she had been treated. He wouldn't have, either.

“The kid is four feet tall!” Wuya shouted at the three giants. “She can’t have gotten far, on those little legs! Go.  _ Get _ . Her.”

She pointed away from herself, with the other hand on her hip. The rock giants all hung their heads and groaned, slumping off like children sent to bed without supper. The one still chewing on the leather strap was shoved by the one behind him, and the two started to slap and nudge each other as they walked away. 

“What are you going to do with Tala?” Chase snarled.

The rock giant that was serving as his jailer shoved Chase’s head back inside, when he tried to push it through. 

“Hey!” cried Chase, swatting at its finger. “Watch the hair! I’m already a day behind on my routine!”

Wuya pursed her lips, waiting for the giant to finish annoying him before answering, flicking her glare from her fingernails to Chase and the rock giant. 

Dashi couldn’t help but snigger a little at both Chase and Wuya’s expense, but his face fell when Dashi sensed Guan out of the corner of his eye. He turned his head to look at Guan, trapped in another spiked giant. Guan was huddled at the furthest part of the beast’s belly. Dashi couldn’t tell if he was scared or angry, but Guan was certainly uncomfortable, curling in on his knees and staring at his feet with a sour expression. 

“I owe Tala something, and I can’t free myself from her debt, unless she’s here,” said Wuya. “Though I do plan on killing you all, first.”

“You will never get away with this!” cried Master Young from the rock giant behind her, his knuckles clenched white against its stone bars. 

Wuya turned on him, smiling. She sauntered over to Master Young, slowly. 

“Who are you? You humans look all the same to me,” she said. Wuya cocked her head, her green eyes glittering with a hint of mischief. “Well, mostly the same. You’re a  _ little  _ familiar.”

“I am Master Keyota Young, and so long as at least one of the Xiaolin Dragons are alive, you will never win!” Master Young vowed, baring his teeth at her. 

“No,  _ Keyotaaa _ ,” Wuya sneered out his name, with an ugly face, “they won’t, because I’ve destroyed the Scroll of Ages, and after today, the Xiaolin line of magic  _ ends _ . Permanently.”

“But even with us gone, there will still be one last Dragon.” 

Wuya smiled at the voice. 

“Oh _ good, _ you were able to drag our guest of honor out from his little prayer circle,” she said to the giants who flanked Grand Master Wei, as they lead him into the courtyard. 

Grand Master Wei swatted at the rock giant’s hand, when it tried to touch his shoulder. He sank to the ground on his own, sitting with his back straight and his chin pointed defiantly toward Wuya. His eyes did not leave hers for a second. 

“Did you enjoy your time in the garden, old man?” Wuya asked. “Too bad your last chance to see it was during the dead of winter. Oh well.”

She met Grand Master Wei’s eye with an arrogant smirk, when he told her, “Tala _ will _ stop you. The Scroll of Ages chose that girl for a time such as this. Even if you kill all of us, she will grow in strength and defeat you, once and for all.”

Wuya scoffed. She began to laugh, a soft and twittering chuckle hiding behind her hand.

“No, she won’t,” said Wuya. Pressing the hand to her chest, Wuya pulled her smile thin. “Tala is  _ mine _ .”

Wuya’s declaration morphed into a toothy growl that was aimed directly at the Grand Master, an animalistic snarl that made it quite clear that she meant every syllable. 

She took a breath, and that horrible darkness in her green eyes turned sweet. Her twitching lips smiled.

“Now, then,” she said, looking to each of the six captured Elders. “I wanted to save the little Dragons for when Tala arrives, but I’m bored, so let’s get started. Let’s take a vote: Who should I kill first?”

Her eyes fell to Master Young. Dashi looked over to Chase, who grew pale.

“I’m guessing that you’re related to pretty boy, no?” she asked, raising a hand full of green flames toward Master Young’s face. “No wonder I’d thought I’d recognized you...You’re actually kinda cute. Where’d you get that scar, handsome?”

“Don’t you touch him!” Chase shouted. He tried to lunge out of the bars, but the rock giant that held him pushed Chase back, and bashed the side of its belly to rattle him into letting go of the bars.

“Chase!” shouted Master Young. 

He also lunged, then yelped when his hand brushed Wuya’s flames. He jumped back, holding his hand close to himself with a hiss of pain. Wuya’s smile was wild. 

“Aww, how sweet,” she cooed, “but you know what they say, don’t you? Love hurts.”

She thrust her hand inside of the rock giant, and green sparks lit up the stony cage. Master Young screamed.

“DAD!” Chase cried. 

Master Young’s screams echoes throughout the courtyard. All of the Elders, with the exception of Grand Master Wei, turned their heads away. He continued to stare at Wuya, unmoved. 

“I’m going to keep doing this, one by one with all of you Elders, until Tala gets here,” Wuya told them, her voice rising just above Master Young’s screams. “Maybe then, little Tala will come out of hiding!”

“Tala’s not coming!” Dashi shouted quickly, slapping the bars of his prison. “Tala’s not coming!”

Wuya whipped away from Master Young to stare at Dashi, wide-eyed. Whatever she was doing to him inside of the cage stopped immediately, and Master Young gew very quiet. 

“What?” Wuya asked.

“Tala’s not coming,” Dashi repeated, his heart pounding. 

The world seemed to spin around him when she approached, but Dashi wasn’t sure if it was because Wuya was buzzing with invisible magic, or if he was just that afraid of her. 

Wuya pressed her nose close to the bars, narrowing her eyes as she studied his. “Where is she?” 

“If she isn’t here with you now, then she ran away,” said Dashi. “Tala abandoned me at the bridge, last night. That was the last I saw of her. You’re wasting your time, torturing us. Tala’s probably somewhere down river.”

Wuya’s laugh was sharp and loud, making Dashi wince. 

“Oh nooo,” her raspy voice purred. Wuya hooked an arm into the cage to pull Dashi’s head close to her. 

Pressing her cheek to his, Wuya poked Dashi’s nose, saying, “Tala or not, I want to take my time in watching you squirm. I’ve waited three hundred years to see the Xiaolin Dragons’ death, so I’m  _ going _ to enjoy it.”

She shoved Dashi back roughly, and flicked her hair over her shoulder as she walked back toward Master Young. He was silent, and curled into a fetal position at the bottom of the giant’s stomach. 

“Dashi, can you see?” Chase hissed to him. “Is my dad still alive?”

Dashi lifted his chin, trying to look over Wuya, but the spikes staring down at him from inside the giant prohibited him from being able to see anything but their master’s white robes. 

He met Chase’s teary eyes, shaking his head. “I can’t tell. I’m sorry.”

Chase began to shake, and Dashi looked back to Wuya.

“Now, any volunteers?” asked the witch, her hand sparking with a green aura. She smiled as the rest of the Elders shrunk back into their cages, moaning with fear. 

A roar from the sky startled Wuya into covering her head and ducking, narrowly being missed by a stream of fire. A giant dragon swooped down, whipping his tail to knock one of the rock giants over. It fell back, flailing its arms as it tumbled back into a few others, all of them falling one-by-one with the Elders inside. Dashi smiled, craning his neck to follow Dojo’s path back up to the sky. 

A little black-and-yellow speck was on his back, shouting out a victory whoop as they gained altitude... No, it  _ couldn’t  _ be! “Tala?”

Dashi’s smile grew very, very big. Never in his life was Dashi more happy to eat his own words!

“Tala!” Chase cried, echoing Dashi. 

Guan rushed to a crouch and also pressed his face out to see, watching the dragon fly with narrowed eyes. 

Dashi’s heart leapt with hope, as he watched Dojo corkscrew back around. One of the rock giants that was guarding Grand Master Wei was knocked down by a blast of invisible power. It fell back, flying into the rubble behind it. 

Dashi cheered joyfully as the dragon circled back around again, roaring out another blast of fire toward Wuya.

* * *

“Will not be able to do that, again!” Tala cried out to Dojo, already feeling a little dizzy. “The next fireblast must count!”

“Got it!” Dojo called back, giving her a thumbs up over his shoulder. “Hold on!” 

Tala held tightly to his mane as Dojo rushed downward, fire pouring from his mouth. The heat rushed back, hitting Tala in the face. She squeezed her eyes shut, pressing her face into Dojo’s scales to shield herself from it. 

“Tala, what are you doing?! Stop!” she heard Wuya hollar, but Dojo was already circling back around, muffling her voice with the rushing wind.

Tala looked up from Dojo’s back. He flew straight down, roaring and clawing at one of the giants that tried to grab him. 

“Ow!” Dojo cried, yanking his claws back. He sucked on them, whining, “I just broke three nails on that thing!”

“Because she not want to lose,” Tala told him. “They will not be easy to break, now!”

“You should have told me that, before!” said Dojo, “I just had my claws buffed!”

Dojo circled once again, preparing for another fire strike. The rock giants that Dojo had knocked over with his tail were standing up, not one scratch on them. They all growled, storming towards the dragon. 

“Dojo, up!” Tala warned.

“I can see that!” Dojo snapped, rushing high into the clouds. “Stop barking orders! I’m not a dog!”

The dragon curled in on himself mid-flight, screaming when Wuya appeared in front of his face. 

“That. Is. Enough,” she growled, snatching Dojo by his snout. 

Dojo was forced to swallow down the fire that he was conjuring, smoke pouring out of his nostrils. Wuya yanked the dragon forward. Tala lost her grip.

She screamed as she fell, flailing her arms. Tala tried to make herself stop somehow, but her magic did not come to her rescue fast enough. Instead, the palm of a rock giant did. Tala landed with a thud, yelping when the giant’s mossy fingers instantly curled around her. It had her arms pinned, so even though her hands were burning with magic, Tala could not use it.

“Dojo!” Tala cried, looking up in time to see Wuya whip Dojo around above her head, and throw him directly into the semi-destroyed roof behind her. Dojo disappeared though it, scattering debris everywhere. 

Wuya dusted off her hands, floating down in front of Tala. Knowing that it would be useless trying to escape now, Tala just matched Wuya’s hostile glare. 

“ _ You cheeky little brat _ ,” Wuya snarled, in Wupoyisho. “ _ After  _ _ everything _ _ I’ve done for you, you pull a stunt like this?! _ ”

“ _ I won’t let you kill them _ ,” Tala snapped right back. 

Wuya growled, her lip twitching. 

“ _ Give her to me! _ ” Wuya hissed to the rock giant, yanking Tala by the scalp.  _ Ungrateful little- _ ” 

Wuya whipped Tala around, displaying her in front of the Apprentices. Tala clawed at her hand, but Wuya just dug her nails in deeper. Tala had to grind her teeth together to keep from crying out in pain. 

“One last lesson before I throw you in time-out,” Wuya told her, switching to common tongue, as she yanked up on a handful of Tala’s curls. “Look at your friends! They’ll want to hear what I have to say, and I want you to see the looks on their faces when I do.”

“ _ No! _ ” said Tala, kicking Wuya’s shin. 

Wuya jerked her leg into the back of Tala’s knee on reflex, and when Tala’s leg gave way, she used the fall to slip out of Wuya’s fingers. She swiveled to thrust a fist into Wuya's stomach, but the witch snagged Tala’s hand, and twisted her arm behind her back before the hit could land. Tala cried out, trapped, when Wuya wrapped her other arm around her middle, pinning Tala in place.

"Good girl," sneered Wuya, pulling Tala close to her chest. "..And,  _ now _ that I have everybody’s full attention,"

Tala tried to twist free, but Wuya yanked her arm back, threatening to pull the shoulder from its socket.

"Don't make me break your arm, Tala," Wuya warned. "Stop squirming, and listen to me! Don’t you want to know where  _ Daddy _ is? That's your reward for helping me, isn’t it?”

Wuya removed her arm from Tala’s middle to dig her sharp nails into her scalp, again. She yanked Tala's head up and forced her to look at the Apprentices, who each stared at Tala with fear and realization on their faces. Tala closed her eyes with shame.

"Look at them," ordered Wuya. "We tricked those boys so easily! They really thought that they could take us on, didn’t they?! They were too stupid to realize that it was all a trap! As if rock giants could be that easy to kill! And all that  _ preaching _ to you about friendship and teamwork, ha! You didn’t care about  _ any _ of that, did you?”

“Not true!” Tala whimpered.

“Oh, please!” scoffed Wuya, “All you wanted was to get your Papa back. It didn’t matter whatsoever what would happen to anybody else, so long as  _ you _ got what  _ you  _ wanted! Congratulations,Tala. That’s one of the hallmarks of a true Heylin witch."

“Tala,” said Chase, softly.  “It’s not true, is it? Please tell us you didn’t actually help her to do this to us!”

Tala squeezed her eyes shut as tightly as she could and tried to look away from him, but Wuya painfully jerked her head back up. 

"Look them in the eye and tell them, Tala!” she said. “Tell them what you did! Tell them how you tried to steal the Scroll of Ages from the vault, and then just stood by and watched as I destroyed it! You didn’t even try to stop me! Go on, I’m sure they’re just  _ dying  _ to know why!"

Tala shook her head, her eyes darting to each of the boys’ faces. Tears were running down Chase’s face, and Dashi’s eyes were threatening to start. Guan looked absolutely furious, disgust being the only thing glistening in his eyes. 

“Sorry, I am sorry!” she wailed. “Not mean to! Please, believe me!”

None of them looked her in the eye, after that. Tala hicked, shaking all over. She hung her head, tears falling into the dirt.

“Too late for sorries, Tala,” said Wuya, “but here’s your consolation prize: You want to know where your  _ zeiyo _ father is?” 

Wuya pressed her lips to the tip of Tala’s ear. Her breath tickled the hairs on Tala’s neck. She whispered in Wupoyisho, “ _ I  _ _ hunted _ _ him down, and I  _ _ killed _ _ him. _ ”

Time froze. Her heart, her hearing, her breathing, they all stopped at once. The only thing Tala could feel was Wuya’s smirk, as it widened against her ear.

Tala knew that Dashi was calling something out to her, but she was too distraught to understand him. His voice was muffled, and the world around her fogged up as if a sheet where bound around her eyes. 

Tala began to hyperventilate. The ground rushed up to meet her. Wuya let her fall to her knees, resting a hand gently on Tala’s shoulder.

“ _ What a waste, _ ” sighed Wuya, petting Tala’s hair. “ _ I hope you understand why I did it. If Carel came back for you, his presence would have distracted you from your true purpose, just like these boys almost did.” _

Struggling to breathe, Tala clawed at her neck, screaming her tears into the dirt. She began to gag, tasting iron in her throat. 

_ “Now, don’t be like that,” _ chided Wuya, patting Tala’s head. _ “I just needed you to keep the hope that he was alive long enough for you to help me, that’s all. _ ”

“Whatever she’s saying to you, Tala, don’t listen!” cried Chase. “Don’t listen to her!”

Tala rocked on her knees, pressing her forehead to the ground while she sobbed. Her whole body shook with held back screams, souring her stomach. It threatened to make her vomit as she gulped for air. 

Wuya snapped her fingers, smiling at the Apprentices. 

“Bring him,” she said.

Grand Master Wei was yanked to his feet by his two rock giant guards. 

“Get up!” shouted Chase, as the Grand Master was dragged before Wuya. “Fight her! You’re the only one who’s free! You need to save the Grand Master!”

Grand Master Wei was forced to stand, so that Tala was between him and Wuya. Wuya yanked Tala up by her arm.

“Tala, get up,” she said, making a point to smile at the Grand Master. “The lesson’s only just started.”

Tala shook her head, a wobbly sob coming out of her mouth instead of words. She tried to protest when Wuya held her by her shoulders in front of the Grand Master, but it came out as a whine. 

Wuya bent close to Tala’s ear, again. 

“ _ Just so you know, I  _ _ knew _ _ that the hope of your father returning is what held you back in your Xiaolin training _ ,” she said slowly and clearly, staring straight ahead at Grand Master Wei with a cruel smile. “ _ That’s why I kept letting you believe it. It was the push you needed to get you to do what needed to be done.” _

“ _ Why are you telling me this? _ ” Tala asked.

_ “Because I want you to understand,” said Wuya. “I just needed him out of my way. It wasn’t all that personal. I killed him because he saw me, and I knew that he would try to hide you from me again, if he ever reached the Xiaolin Temple. I couldn’t have that, not after finally tracking you down. I guess you could say, I was  _ _ only _ _ thinking of  _ _ you _ _ ~” _

Tala tried to yank free, but Wuya was too strong. She almost seemed to delight in making Tala grunt with pain, pressing her fingers into Tala’s skin hard enough to bruise.

_ “You may hate me for everything now, but you’ll thank me later. These Xiaolin monks have distanced you from your true evil potential,”   _ Wuya told her, slowly twisting the skin on Tala’s arms.  _ “You should have been training with me, learning how how to use magic, gaining  _ _ power _ _ , not dancing around in bathrobes with them. It sickens me how easily they’ve distracted you!” _

Tala bit the inside of her cheek against the pain, refusing to give Wuya the satisfaction. Wuya just twisted harder until Tala tensed up, fighting a whimper.

_ “Though, seeing your relationship with these people because of it,”  _ Wuya added, thoughtfully,  _ “killing your dad worked out so much  _ _ better _ _ than I’d thought _ !  _ You were eating out of my hands, the second you saw hope of being daddy’s little girl again. Well, you’re  _ _ Auntie’s _ _ , now.” _

“I am _ never  _ yours!” Tala snarled, her broken common words satisfyingly grating. She hoped it hurt Wuya’s ears. 

_ “ _ _ Well _ _ , even if you don’t want join me, they’ll never take you back,”  _ purred Wuya, confidently.  _ “Not after everything you did. I’m your only option, so  _ _ obey _ _ me. _ ” 

She squeezed Tala’s arms again, and Tala winced into her shoulders. It only hurt worse, trying to pull away from Wuya’s hand. 

The Grand Master looked Tala in the eyes, not giving away any of his knowledge of the language, other than a fleeting look of understanding, before glaring back to Wuya. 

“I do not know what you are saying, witch, but you’ve tormented this girl long enough,” he said. “Let her go, and then kill me. Be done with it.”

Wuya grinned. 

“Wait your turn, old man,” she told him. “This is a teachable moment.”

To Tala, she said,  _ “You’re just like your mother. That  _ _ human _ _ distracted her, too. She lost sight of what it means to be a witch, and I lost her. That’s why I cursed her. She didn’t  _ _ deserve _ _ her magic _ .”

Tala’s eyes widened. She felt a chill run down into her bones. “ _ You what? _ ”

“ _ You’re still young _ ,” said Wuya, dismissively. “ _ I can train you to be  _ _ better _ _ than her, to not give in to these silly temptations! You may be half-human, but I’ve also known some pretty evil humans. There’s still a glimmer of hope, even if your magic might never reach your mother’s level of powerful. It’s funny, the only thing Shion didn’t seem to screw up in her life was leaving you to me. Kill the Grand Master for me, and I’ll take you on as my apprentice. I’ll teach you everything that your mother couldn’t. I can teach you spells beyond your wildest dreams! _ ”

Black snow began to fall from the sky, speckling the white ground with hissing drops of grey wherever it landed. It was that deafening kind of quiet that came with heavy snow and somber clouds. These hung above the Xiaolin Temple in black ripples, green lightning weaving between  them without the sound of thunder. The snow was ash, but was somehow icy to the touch despite sizzling hot on the ground. The snow was melting quickly, and the brown grass turned to silver dust as it seeped into the ground. The dirt, infected by the melting snow, turned pitch black where the melt pooled, silver dust and black swirling like starlight at Tala's feet. 

All of the Elders, and even the Apprentices, watched the ground transform with shock and fear. Tala heard one of the Elders behind her whisper, “A thousand years of darkness!”

The cold, black flecks of the falling ash lingered on Tala’s eyelashes as she stared unblinkingly at Grand Master Wei, Wuya’s words sinking in. Tala’s knees shook. 

Wuya tossed Tala forward. Tala stumbled. She caught herself, covering her mouth to stifle another sob. 

“ _ Everything you told me about my mother, about the clans,” _ Tala whimpered, _ “the magic lessons, the nightmares- _ ”

“ _ Yes _ ,” she Wuya, “ _ all of it was to prepare you for this moment. Burn him, like his brothers burned our sisters! Like how they burned your  _ _ mother _ _! He deserves it, just like how the Scroll of Ages deserved to be destroyed for choosing you to be a Xiaolin monk, against your will. _ ”

“What are you saying to her?” Chase shouted, “Tala, ignore it!  _ Fight  _ her!”

“Tala, please!” cried Dashi, “She’s going to kill everyone! Snap out of it!”

“Tala,” said Guan, quietly. 

It was his voice that cut through to her. Tala looked at him. Guan’s knuckles were white against the stone bars, but his eyes were sad. 

“Please, don’t let her do this,” he pleaded, speaking slowly enough for Tala to understand.  

Tala swallowed down another bubble, holding her hands close to her chest. She shook her head, looking to each of the Apprentices. She tried to take a step back, but Wuya’s hands came down hard onto her shoulders, and roughly steered Tala back to face Grand Master Wei.

Wuya slowly looked from Chase, to Dashi, to Guan, her nails digging through Tala’s robe and into her skin.

“This is between me and Tala,” she told them, chiding the boys as if they were small children, “so if you want your deaths to be swift and  _ mostly _ painless, stop talking.”

Wuya shoved Tala forward, again. Tala grabbed onto the Grand Master’s arms, to keep from falling. 

“ _ Finish it, Tala _ ,” snapped Wuya. “ _ Finish it, and come with me _ .  _ Nothing will be able to separate us from family, again. _ ”

_ “I thought witches didn’t have family _ ,” said Tala, softly. 

Tala wasn’t so sure if Wuya had heard her, judging by the smug upturn of the hag’s lips when she meet her eyes from over her slumping shoulders. 

Tala flicked her gaze up to the rock giant that towered above the Grand Master, then she met Grand Master Wei’s eyes. They were twinkling, and he gave her a subtle nod. Tala gritted her teeth, raising her hand. Blue sparks arched around her fingers, taking the shape of a blade.

" _Daija Delmora_ ," she said.

“Tala,  _ don’t _ !” Dashi cried. 

With a yell, Tala whirled on Wuya and threw the magic at her. Wuya dodged it, and the knife embedded itself into the arm of the giant behind her. It faded, when the writhing sparks were unable to electrocute their target, leaving a crack behind where the tip dug into rock. 

“Oops,” said Tala, “it slipped.”

The boys cheered behind her, even Guan, as Tala summoned another sparkling blade, and prepared to throw it. 

“You...little,” Wuya growled, slowly standing straight. 

Grand Master Wei snatched Tala by her arm, yanking her close and shielding both her and himself with the sleeve of his robe, when Wuya screamed, “BRAT!”

Shockwaves blew over them, yanking up trees and  the surrounding debris. The only thing keeping Grand Master Wei and Tala from being blown away with them was the legs of the rock giant that had stood guard. Both Tala and Grand Master Wei lay flat on their backs, when the waves ended. 

“ _ Jo _ , Grand Master!” Tala cried, scrambling to get off of him.

“I’m alright,” he assured her, taking Tala’s shaking hand, to sit up. 

“After  _ everything _ that I have  _ done _ for you!” seethed Wuya, her face and eyes red with wild anger, as she stalked toward them. “After all that time _ I _ took making sure that you didn’t kill anybody until you were ready, all those sleepless nights telling you those  _ awful  _ bedtime stories, all that holding back and pretending to be nice, when all I wanted to do to you was strangle your stubborn little neck, and you tell  _ me _ no? You would rather choose that geezer over me, after everything  _ his _ masters and students have done to you?!”

Wuya stood directly over Tala, and said to the rock giant, “Take hold of them. I’ll kill the Grand Master, _ myself _ .”

“No!” Tala yelled. 

She was snatched up by the giant, the second she scrambled to her feet. The giant went to grab Grand Master Wei with its other fist as Tala screamed the Grand Master’s name, raging helplessly against the giant’s fingers.

Grand Master Wei moved so fast that Tala didn’t realize what he was doing, until she saw his red sash wrapped around the rock giant’s wrist. The Grand Master bent low, sweeping his leg out to hook the rest of the sash around the giant’s ankle. The giant fell, unable to keep its balance. It dropped Tala with a monstrous yelp, throwing her behind Wuya as it floundered. 

Tala landed among the giants that held the other masters. The stink of burned flesh hit Tala’s nose. She gagged, lifting her head to see the charred robes of Master Young inside the giant directly in front of her. It loomed over Tala with an ugly grin, green slime dripping down its chin and onto the ground in front of her. 

“Awaken Dojo, and flee!” cried the Grand Master. “You’re our last-” 

He screamed, a loud and terrifying sound, as Tala heard the sickening, wet  _ crack! _ of breaking bone and skin. 

Tala rushed to her feet, narrowly avoiding the reaching hand of the giant, and weaved between the feet of those blocking her from where Dojo had fallen. Tala slid through the black doorway, seconds before a giant could snatch her, hissing as pebbles and dirt dug into her side and scraped her skin.  

She scrambled over to Dojo, the roars and stomping of giants rattling her in the darkness. He was lying in the rubble of the roof, light shining on his little body where he fell. Tala scooped the dragon up into her arms, cradling his head. He moaned when she turned his head to the side, a bruise forming beneath one of Dojo’s crests blooming like an ugly flower. 

“Mr. Dojo, please wake up!” Tala whined, backing into the wall and away from the hole in the roof, dodging the hand of the giant trying to pluck them from the rubble.

“She is hurting him,” cried Tala, hearing the Grand Master’s screams cut off, the cheer of rock giants rising above it. “Please!”

“Kill her!” Tala heard Wuya scream, her raspy voice smothered by the walls. 

Tala held Dojo close, cowering in the corner as the room shook. The giants were bashing themselves into the walls, trying to collapse everything around them. Tala dug her shoulders into the crevice, hoping that the corner would shield her and Dojo from most of the damage. 

“DOJO!” Tala screamed, ducking as the roof rained down onto them. 

There was the taste of orange in her mouth, and then there was only heat. The room burst outward, a shimmering bubble shielding Tala and Dojo. Tala fell to the ground, unable to keep herself up. The giants that had surrounded her were nothing but boulders that were scattered around them, now. The elders inside of them were either lying dead among the giants, or barely crawling away to safety.

“Dojo,” Tala whispered, raspy. 

Dojo was still unconscious, and no longer responsive. He was completely limp in her arms. 

Wuya began to laugh. 

“They grow up so fast,” she hummed. “Looks like you’ve done half of the work for me, without even trying! What a  _ good _ girl.”

“N-no!” Tala stammered, curling around Dojo protectively. “I did not! Not like you!”

“Why is it that you insist on sounding like an idiot,  _ just _ to annoy me?” the witch hissed. “I’ve only been speaking Wupoyisho for  _ your _ benefit, you know. I prefer it when my prey can understand when I’m mocking them. It’s the reason why I speak their words so well.”

Wuya came for her slowly, green light glowing in her clawed hands. She was no longer smiling. Bolts of lightning came from the sky, finishing off the Elders who were still alive, zapping them one-by-one. Tala watched with horror when Master Honghui silently screamed, his skin turning to ash, instantly. Only his skeleton, charred black, remained. 

“What’s the matter, Tala?” she taunted, pulling a stream of lightning from the air and slamming it into the ground, whipping another one of the injured Elders into the wall. “Am I speaking too fast for you? Do you need me to slow down?”

Tala tried to stand, but couldn’t so much as sit up to her knees. She fell back down. The smokey scent of her magic lingered around her, mocking Tala as Wuya stalked closer. 

The boys behind Wuya were all screaming, but Tala could not understand what they were trying to say, nor if they were yelling at her or Wuya. Tala cowered, shivering over Dojo. 

“Please wake up,” she whispered, frantically, “please wake up!”

Wuya was close enough to Tala now for her to see the gleam in her eyes.

“Here, I’ll switch back,” she snarled. “I want you to understand my last words to you.”

Tala put on a brave face and braced herself, shielding Dojo with her body. 

“ _ I’m not afraid of you, _ ” she said.

“ _ The way you’re shaking proves otherwise _ ,” said the witch, matching Tala’s Wupoyisho. “ _ I  _ _ could _ _ offer you one last chance to work for me, for Shion’s sake...but I won’t. I can tell that your morality is going to be a problem. There’s no room for that in  _ _ my _ _ world order _ .”

She raised her hand to Tala’s face, not one drop of mercy anywhere in her spiraling, green eyes. 

“ _ Guess you really were meant to be a Xiaolin Monk, after all, _ ” Wuya sneered. “ _ Pity. I almost tolerated you _ .”

Dojo’s nose began to wiggle. He picked up his head, sniffing the air. Dojo opened his eyes. 

“Who’s burning wood?” he asked, smiling up at Tala. “I hope someone’s roasting pork! I’m starving!”

Dojo’s eyes bugged when he saw that Tala wasn’t smiling back. “...What?”

Wuya cleared her throat, and Dojo turned his head. He shrieked, scrambling out of Tala’s arms. He grew in size again, knocking Wuya over as his body filled the space around them.Tala grabbed onto his mane, and they were back up into the air with a rush of wind and scales. She barely held on, digging her fingers into Dojo’s coarse fur as wind surged past her. 

Dojo rounded on the witch quickly. He landed on the opposite roof with a wild growl, curling his body to mirror the broken guardian statue beside him. 

Tala gasped, feeling the fire in his belly rise up like a pulse beneath the dragon’s scales. 

Wuya smiled, crouching into a cat stance. 

“Come on, you big chicken,” she challenged. “I’ve been looking for a nice wall mount for my future throne room.”

“Dojo!” Tala hissed, hoping that she was close enough to his ear for the dragon to hear her. “Have plan!  _ We _ are not strong enough, but make  _ her  _ break the giants! We can free the others!”

Dojo’s eyes flicked back to Tala so quickly that she almost didn’t see it. Then, he launched himself from the roof with an ear-splitting roar. Dojo clawed at Wuya, knocking her off of her feet, then tossed her into the air with his tail as he ascended. Wuya’s back was slammed into the corner where Tala had been hiding from the giants in, causing the rest of it to crumble. 

She was back on her feet with graceful rage, flinging fireballs at Dojo and Tala as they weaved between the ruined buildings and scattered, dead giants. Dojo was flying and thrashing around so fast that all Tala could do was hold her breath, bury her face into his mane, and hold on. 

Wuya chased after them. Tala felt the heat of Wuya’s magic barely missing her leg. She lifted her head with a gasp, looking down as Dojo circled above the giants that still held the three Apprentices. The giants all roared angrily, picking up peices of their dead brethren to hurl at Dojo. He dodged them easily, whipping his tail through the air like a snake as he hovered above the giants. Tala hugged herself closely to Dojo’s neck, squeaking at yet another close call, when one of the boulders flew above her head and into the outer wall. 

“Can you use your magic, again?” Dojo called back to Tala, flying up to circle around the courtyard again. “I could use a little help, right now!”

He belched fire onto the ground, the flames licking silver grass and turning it black. 

“No!” Tala told him. “Used too much! Cannot move, only can hold on!”

“Great,” snorted Dojo, “a little _ monk _ on my back.”

He giggled, but Tala didn’t understand why. 

They hovered over the giants again, who were now bellowing without anything else left to toss at them left lying around, at least not anything big enough. Tala could see the boys desperately trying to keep from being jostled around inside of their cage-stomachs as the beasts jumped and hooted, trying to grab a hold of the dragon. 

“We will get you out,” Tala told them, “hold on a little!”

Grand Master Wei was on the ground beside them, but Tala did not know just how badly he was injured. The ground around him was completely black; she could not tell if it was the ashy snow’s doing, or if those dark puddles were the Grand Master’s blood. 

Dojo slowed down, seeing it too. Tala lightly tugged on his mane, and the great dragon shook his head, smoke pouring out of his nostrils with a growl. He rushed high, narrowly avoiding another blast of Wuya’s magic. 

Wuya was after them, flying right behind Dojo. 

“Left!” Tala cried. 

Dojo avoided a green blast of energy. It shot past, right above Tala, and spiraled into the clouds. Wuya snarled like an animal when she missed, rearing back to throw an even bigger ball. 

“Right!” shouted Tala, pressing her cheek to his back. “No, left!”

Dojo yelped when the next energy ball narrowly misses his snout. “How do you not know your right from left?!”

“Sorry!” Tala cired, ducking another one.  She gasped, gulping down her panic when the giants started to give chase to them as well. “Go around, go around!”

Dojo made a hard turn, slapping Wuya with his tail. He cried out when her claws raked down its scales, but it didn’t stop him. Dojo dove down fast, shouting, “Hold on tight!”

Wuya was right on top of them, a hair-with just short of the tip of Dojo’s tail. 

“I’m going to kill you!” Wuya shouted, lighting shooting from her hands. “Do you understand  _ that,  _ Tala?!”

The smell of her own hair burning was washed away by the wind. Tala covered her head with her hands, pulling away a few long strands of singed hair. Tala hugged herself close to Dojo, and turned her head in time to watch Dojo snap his tail at her, smacking Wuya in the chin hard.

“ _ Nobody _ threatens kids on my watch!” Dojo snarled. 

She fell back a few feet, stunned, but recovered quickly. Wuya flew at them again, this time striking like lightning itself. 

“Please go faster, please go faster!” Tala squeaked. 

Wuya tried to snatch the fur on Dojo’s tail, but missed. 

“I’m trying!” cried Dojo. “Can you use magic, yet?!”

Sparks sputtered into Tala’s hand, flickering weakly. Tala growled, and tried to force them out with Push. The sparks grew with her frustration, rupturing into blue flames the size of her fist. With no time to marvel at the new ability, Tala tossed the fireball behind herself and held tightly to Dojo again. 

Wuya dodged it, laughing. 

“Well, look at  _ you _ !” she cried. “Baby’s first fireball!”

Wuya threw her own, acidic-green and much larger than Tala’s was. Tala twisted, grunting against the wind pressure that pinned her to Dojo’s back. She threw another one, but Wuya dodged that fireball too. 

Tala threw as many as she could until Dojo flew too fast for her to hang on. She yelped and dug her hands into his mane, burrowing her face in it. The rock giants’ reaching hands came into focus fast. Dojo rushed upward, and Tala heard Wuya scream with rage. 

“Yes!” Dojo cried, “It worked!”

Tala lifted her head to see that the fireball Wuya had aimed for her hit the giant that was guarding Chase. She’d hit its head, cracking the giant down to its stomach just enough so that Chase could break one of the bars and climb through. He ran between the other rock giants, waving his arms and yelling. The giants turned their attention away from Dojo, and began to run after Chase, roaring. 

“Oh, no you don’t!” hollered Wuya. “ _ You _ aren’t getting away!”

“Chase!” Tala shouted, but she was a few seconds too late to warn him. 

The ground in front of Chase split open. He slid in the ashy snow, digging his heels into the black dirt and grass. He turned, spinning into a crouching stance to face the rock giants. 

They tried to grab him at the same time. Chase jumped up, and the giants’ fists slammed against each other hard enough to -quite literally- crack their knuckles. He ran up the arm of one, and the other giant swung at him. It missed, punching its companion square in the face. He leapt away just in time, before the fight broke out. 

“Dashi, Guan, stay as far back as you can!” he shouted.

Wuya rushed for him, but Dojo swooped down in front of her. 

“ _ You’re going nowhere _ ,” Tala snarled, raising her fists. She opened them, and blue fireballs blazed above her open palms. 

“ _ We’ll see about that _ ,” growled Wuya with an eerie grin, “ _ Little Monk _ .”

Tala hurled one of the fireballs at her, and Wuya caught it. It kept spinning, but the fire didn’t so much as even smoke against Wuya’s skin. 

“ _ Is that  _ _ really _ _ the best you can do? _ ” asked the witch, her eyes narrowed. 

The other fireball in Tala’s hand disappeared with her shocked gasp, the magic that fueled it snapping back on her like a startled cat. 

“Um, kid?” squeaked Dojo. “If you have anything better to throw at her,  _ now _ would be the time!”

“She can’t,” said Wuya. “She hasn’t let her body heal enough yet,  _ have _ you Tala? That’s all poor widdle you has! You’re so weak, this  _ hardly  _ even feels like a mosquito bite.”

Tala gulped. 

“Silly girl,” said Wuya, chuckling, “If you can’t use your magic responsibly, you shouldn’t be using it at all.”

She crushed the little blue ball with her claw-like fingers. “Leave the magic to  _ real _ witches.”

Tala rapidly tapped her palm against Dojo’s neck. “Go up, go up!”

Dojo didn’t even question it, zipping up toward the dark clouds. Wuya’s laughter followed them, and so did another fireball, flying past Tala’s cheek. 

* * *

Chase slid into the grey snow, just as the two giants began to grapple with each other. One of the giants slammed the other in the stomach with its knee, cracking the bars to Guan’s prison. The giant bellowed with rage, and tackled the other to the ground with an earth-shaking belly flop, breaking the bars of its stomach the rest of the way. 

Guan duck-and-rolled out from behind the bars, just as his giant was overpowered by the other, and was pressed, belly-down, into the dirt. 

Chase looked up to the sound of a whooshing fireblast. Dojo swiveled away from a stream of green fire, before spiraling back around and meet it with his own stream of red. He and Wuya danced between black clouds, green and red flashing behind them where the dragon and witch disappeared.

He looked back to the fighting giants, hearing Dashi yell. The giant with a broken belly slammed the face of the one still holding Dashi captive into the ground. Dashi was trapped beneath the two beasts, like Guan almost had been. 

“We must help him,” said Guan, rushing forward.

“Guan, wait! We can’t break them on our own!” Chase cried, but his friend was too fast, and had already gotten the giants’ attention. 

Chase ran forward, scooping up a rock. He lobbed it at the head of the giant that turned to grab Guan. It growled at him, giving Guan enough time to slide between the giant’s legs. The giant that had been his jailer lay motionless at the edge of the fissure, its broken body giving Guan the protection he needed to keep from sliding into the hole.

He grabbed one of the shards that fell from the dead giant, and held it like a staff in front of him. Chase stood on the opposite side of the giant, ready to throw another rock. 

“Only the witch, or the giants themselves, can break the bars,” said Chase. “We need this thing to turn on itself somehow, in order to free Dashi.”

“Hurry up, already!” said Dashi. “Tala and Dojo can’t distract Wuya forever!”

Chase glanced up at the sky again, but couldn’t see anything. He hoped that was a good sign. 

Chase threw the rock, yelling, “Hey, ugly!”

The giant’s deep growl seeped into the ground, shaking Chase from head to toe, but it did not move. He crouched into the horse stance to keep his balance steady, mockingly bearing his teeth right back at it. 

“What’s the matter, big guy?” Chase asked. “Not so tough without your mistress telling you what to do, huh? All growl and no bite.”

It took a step toward him, and Guan cut its step off with the stone bar. The giant stumbled, twisting its body to try to swipe at Guan. Guan took a running leap into the air.

“Dashi, get as far back as you can!” Guan cried, slamming the bar down into the cage. 

The bar narrowly missed Dashi, sticking straight out between the bars of the giant’s stomach. It roared with rage, clawing at Guan, but he was too fast for it to grab. He used the leverage of the trapped bar to swing himself around and kick the giant square in the jaw, and landed a few feet away from Chase.

The giant snapped the bar in half, the force of its anger cracking the bars around it at a hairline’s width. Chase growled under his breath, knowing it wouldn’t be enough for Dashi to break them.  Dashi did, however, snatch the half of the broken bar into the cage with him before it fell. 

“We need to make it use more force,” said Chase. 

Guan nodded. “What do you suggest?”

“Dashi, make it mad!” Chase shouted.

“Are you crazy?!” Dashi hollered over the giant’s vengeful roar. “There are spikes in here!”

“It needs more force from the same type of magic to break it!” cried Chase. “The giant  _ has _ to break the bars, itself!”

“If I die, I’m haunting you!” was the last thing they heard Dashi yell at them, before the giant charged. 

Chase and Guan dodged in opposite directions, when the giant tried to grab them both. The giant cut itself off mid-roar, its ugly face twisting with confusion. It held its hands at its stomach before looking down to the sound of banging.

“Stop”  _ bang! _ “trying”  _ bang! _ “to eat” _ bang!  _ “my friends!” 

Each time Dashi thrusted the bar into the top of the cage, bits of the stalactites loosened. Chase heard him yelp, and then a crash. 

“Dashi!” Chase cried.

The giant fell to its knees, clutching its stomach. Its confusion turned to panic, and the giant punched through its own stomach bars, and ripped Dashi out from itself. It tossed him away, then collapsed with a groan, the damage by Dashi already done. 

Guan broke Dashi’s fall, the two lading and rolling in the snow together. Dashi rushed to his feet, surprisingly unhurt, save for a few scrapes and forming bruises. 

He pointed at Chase, he said, “The next time you tell me to do something like that, remind me not to listen to you.”

“Listening to me saved your life,” said Chase.

“Technically, Guan’s muscles did,” said Dashi.

Guan smiled sheepishly, before turning serious and looking toward the sky.

“We should start running,” he said, oddly clam.

Chase turned. “What?”

His eyes widened, watching something green break through the clouds. He broke into both a smile and a run, whooping as Dojo swooped down for them. He grabbed Guan’s hand and jumped up to catch Tala’s. She struggled to pull him up, but Chase had enough leverage to steady himself. Guan also held on to Dashi, yanking him up onto the dragon’s back. When all three of them were on his back, Dojo rushed up, spiraling into the sky. 

Chase turned, hearing the witch scream with rage. He ducked just in time to dodge a stream of green flames. 

“Be _ low _ !” Tala shouted to the Apprentices. 

Chase didn’t bother correcting her, ducking at her advice instead, when another blast of green fire shot past them. 

“Chase, hold me!” Tala creid, turning enough to hold both arms out in front of her. 

He realized that she looked pale, her eyes drooping with exhaustion, much like Jia had when she healed them. 

“What are you doing?!” he snapped, hugging Tala around her waist. 

Tala slowly moved one of her hands above her head, and the air shimmers around them. It looked a lot like the magic she had almost killed him with, but she didn’t look nearly as scared using it, this time. 

“Tala, that’s too much!” he cried, holding her more tightly. “You remember what happened, last time!”

“Last chance,” she said, her voice sounding dry and scratchy. 

Tala thrust her other hand forward, the shimmering Push magic slamming past all of them to create a bubble around Dojo, meeting Wuya’s fireblast with invisible force. The fire bounced off, and shot right back into Wuya, knocking her from the sky. Tala collapsed into Chase arms at the same moment.

“Can only hurt herself,” Tala said, smiling weakly up at Chase. “Had to, sorry.”

Tala’s eyes fluttered closed, and her head went limp with a sigh. Chase held her close, digging his free hand into Dojo’s mane. 

Silence from the ground below met them, calming even the wind. The Temple was in complete ruin, dead humans and scattered rock giants littering the skeleton of their once grand home.  Green and black smoke lingered where lightning and fire had struck, their curling pillars rising into the sky the only movement left on the ground. Chase tried to spot his father in the rubble, but there were too many white robes stained red and black for him to tell the masters apart from each other.

He sighed, turning to look back at the other two boys. Dashi wiped away a few tears, his left eye already swelling and turning black, the bruise reaching down to meet the gashes on his lip and chin. Guan just looked down, his jaw gritted hard enough to make the vein on his forehead twitch. 

“Get us out of here, Dojo,” he said, quietly. 

“You don’t have to tell me twice,” said the dragon, just as sadly. He twisted, turning their flight toward the Three Hills, leaving the broken Xiaolin Temple to be covered with ash-like snow. 

* * *

On the ground, Wuya rolled over with a groan. She pulled her sticky hand away from the injury, with a hiss. Blood and charred flesh clung to her palm, and she growled, clenching it shut. 

How did she do it? How did that stupid little weakling trick her into burning herself? Tala’s shield should not have been enough to stop that blast! It should have cut right through!

Wua pushed herself up, grinding her teeth against the pain. She watched the dragon fly off with a glare, holding her stomach as she tried to stand. 

“There is no way that kid should still be standing,” Wuya said to herself, as Dojo disappeared over the peaks of the Three Hills. 

“Unless you underestimated her,  _ again _ .”

Wuya groaned loudly, turning to glare at Hannibal Bean with heavy eyelids. 

“Well, well, well,” said Hannibal, smugly folding his tentacles. “So,  _ that’s _ what you were hiding from me! You wanted Tala to actually join  _ you _ . Too bad that backfired. At least you’ll have a nice, new battle scar for your troubles. It’s almost as if you  _ forget _ where her magic comes from.”

“Don’t worry,” said Wuya, tearing the hem of her dress. “I won’t make that mistake again.”

“This just confirms it, you know,” said Hannibal. “Tala was meant to be a Xiaolin Monk, despite having you, and her mother, to influence her toward the Heylin side. My prophecy still stands.”

“Hmpf,” Wuya scoffed, wrapping the cloth around herself. “I still don’t believe that. In hindsight, I shouldn’t have told her what I did. I should have realized that she’s not smart enough to understand how much it actually helped her.”

“She is a  _ child, _ Wuya,” said Hannibal. “She couldn’t possibly understand the complications of Heylin law. This is why I had advised you  _ not _ to make her hate you, by screwing anything up. You killed her father, and destroyed her mother. She will never trust what you tell her, now. You may be her mother’s sister, but you will  _ never  _ be Tala’s family.” 

“Stop talking down to me,” snapped Wuya. “I knew what I was doing. If she had any sense in that melonhead of hers, Tala would have seen that waiting for him to come back would only make things worse! What were they going to do, keep running from village to village until her magic destroyed everything around her?!  I did that ungrateful brat a favor, and she turned her back on me!”

“No, you orphaned the girl, then mocked her about it!” growled the bean. “The only thing you accomplished was make her bond with the Xiaolin Apprentices stronger, and distance Tala even further from the safety of a clan, more than her father ever could have. If you had only listened to me, and let me in on this _asinine_ plan when I had asked you to, then-”

Wuya rounded on him, just about ready to stomp on the little devil. 

“The  _ only _ reason I teamed up with you was because you were willing to get the pretty boy to push Tala away from the monks!” she snarled. “I’m done with you now, so go slink back into the shadows where you came from! Find somebody else to fulfill your prophecy, because I’m going to kill your precious little Pearl, once I get my hands around Tala’s scrawny neck.”

Hannibal Bean’s ugly smile was chilling. 

“You still don’t see it,” he said. “You’re still only looking at a temporary future.”

“Look around you!” Wuya cried, tossing her hands into the air. “Everyone who could have stopped me is dead! The only thing left standing in my way is a bunch of frightened, injured children! The sky will be black for a thousand years! I’ve won!”

Hannibal turned his back and began to hop away with a chuckle, saying, “I wouldn’t celebrate just yet. Your enemies may be injured, but so are you.”

“Not for long,“ said Wuya, overtaking his hopping with long strides. “There is another witch in this temple that will heal me, and I’ll be able to wipe Tala and her friends out, while they’re still licking their wounds.”

“Ah, one of the Hydra clans,” said Hannibal, smiling slyly. “Do you know which one?”

“No,” said Wuya. “She doesn’t speak our language, either. She’s  _ mostly _ human. I found her reversing the monks’ injuries.” 

“Then the power of restoration is still intact, despite the water in her bloodline,” said Hannibal, thoughtfully. “Isn’t that lucky…”

“Hey,” snapped Wuya, “Don’t get any ideas, goat! She’s too weak to help both of us, and I’m taking every last drop of magic she has left, to heal myself.  _ You _ can forget it!”

“What if she won’t help you?” sneered Hannibal. “She’s taken the side of the Xiaolin Monks, before.”

Wuya looked to the Jade Circle, with a smile. “She no longer has that choice.” 


	27. Chapter 27

Twenty-seven_ Desperate Times

Dojo had not flown them very far, though without the sun it was impossible to gauge how much time had passed. He landed lightly onto a grassy outcrop, somewhere among the Three Hills that was already stained black by the ashy fallout from Wuya’s magic. 

Dashi’s feet crunched against the ash, that now seemed to strangely act more like small pebbles than snow. Above them, the moon pulled through the black and green clouds, its face taking the shape of a mask. It cruelly smiled down at the monks, flashing its sharp teeth with wide, spiraling eyes. He glared right back at it out of his good eye, wondering if Wuya could see them. With this new order under Heylin magic, anything was possible. 

Dashi looked back to the other monks, who were each sliding off of Dojo’s back. One by one, each made their way to Dashi’s side, each one of them looking as tired and defeated as he felt. Tala, especially, seemed to have shrunk another two feet, not once looking up to any of the others, as she shuffled after them inside of the cave. He was surprised that she could still walk after that altercation with Wuya, though he could hardly call her snail’s-pace walking. 

Dashi grabbed Tala by the shoulder before her legs gave out, seeing that she was swaying a little too much when she passed him. Tala stumbled, grabbing onto Dashi’s arm with both hands.

“You okay, Chosen One?” he asked.

Tala gave him a quick glance through tired eyes, nodding her head only slightly, before letting go and wobbling into the cave. Dashi watched her, hesitating to really follow util Dojo shrank and joined him. They gave each other worried glances before entering the cave, together. 

Guan was already slumped over, leaning into his knees as he sat on a protruding slab near the center of the small opening. He ran his hands over his head silently, hardly even seeming to breathe. 

Tala practically crawled to the opposite side of Guan and lay down, facing the wall. She also said nothing, curling in on herself as tightly as she could on another limestone slab, looking quite a bit like a little bun set on a plate. Dashi would have smiled at the idea, if he were in any other situation. He just shook his head and sighed, looking to Chase instead.

Chase was the only one really wanting to do anything, already placing down sticks he had gathered from the entrance of the cave to try and start a fire. Dojo went over to him, blowing a light steam of fire over the sticks. Chase fanned it with a leaf, until the fire grew large enough to set the cave alight with a soft, gentle glow. 

Tala curled in a little more tightly, as if the sudden light had bothered her, but didn’t make a sound otherwise. Guan still didn’t move. Dashi sat down beside Chase and Dojo at the fire. 

“What are we going to do?” Chase asked him, his voice hollow, and his round eyes watching the fire. 

“I don’t know,” said Dashi. 

He heard Chase’s stomach growl, but Chase didn’t seem to mind it. He just kept staring at the fire, unblinking. 

They listened to the fire snap and pop for a few minutes, before Chase’s raspy whisper snapped Dashi out of his drifting, half-attempt at staying awake. “My father is dead, isn’t he?”

Dashi reached out and took Chase’s hand, and Chase squeezed it back, neither of their eyes leaving the fire. Chase’s throat bobbed at the corner of Dashi’s eye, and he covered his mouth with his other hand. Then came the shuddering, and a muffled cry. 

Dashi pulled Chase into a hug, and he began to cry too.

“It’s  _ her  _ fault,”  said Chase. “My father is dead because of her!”

“We’ll find a way to stop Wuya from hurting anyone else,” Dashi promised, “but for now, we-”

“No,  _ her, _ ” Chase spat, pointing to the little bundle in the corner. “ _ Tala. _ Guan was right. She betrayed us, and my father paid the price for it.”

Tala visibly flinched at the sound of her name.

“ _ Tineuda peu _ ,” Dashi heard her say. “ _ Pohn glie chiao _ .”

“Shut up,” said Chase. “Speak our language or not at all,  _ witch _ .”

Tala flinched at that word, too. “ _ Yeu shuo lokeijo _ !”

Chase rushed to his feet. “I said, shut up!”

Dashi got to his feet too, latching onto Chase to keep him from lunging across the room. “Stop it!”

“Let go of me, Dashi,” Chase growled, pushing him. “I won’t do anything.”

Dashi let go, and Chase glared at the ground, his fists balled. 

“My father was right about you,” he whispered, harshly. 

“ _ ‘Ki pohn aswa duitai gahtu chao _ ,” said Tala, just as quietly. 

“Oh yeah?” asked Chase, “I may not know what you’re saying, but you had the chance to save my father and the Grand Master from that  _ monster _ , and you did nothing about it! The witch was right. You  _ aren’t _ a Xiaolin monk. You’re not even a good person!”

“Chase,” warned Dashi. 

“Oh, what’s she gonna do, Dashi,” Chase snapped, “kill us? Look at her! She can hardly move, and even if she could, it wouldn’t matter because Wuya’s out there and we’re in here, and the whole world has fallen into complete chaos! And. It’s. All. Her.  _ Fault! _ ”

“You don’t mean that,” said Dashi. “You saw her, out there. You saw what Wuya did to her.”

“Did you  _ not  _ hear the witch?!” Chase cried, “because  _ I _ sure did! Tala helped Wuya to get her hands on, and  _ destroy _ , the Scroll of Ages! There is no more Xiaolin magic left to stop her! All we have is our martial arts skills, and there is no  _ way  _ that we’ll be able to stop a Heylin Sorceress on our own!”

“We heard her, too,” said Guan, not even looking up when Chase turned to him. “Tala had her reasons for doing it. Her father-”

“I don’t care what her reason was!” he cried. “ _ My _ father is dead! The Grand Master is dead! Our whole world is  _ dead _ !”

“Papa is dead,” said Tala. 

Dashi and Chase looked at her. Tala still faced the cave wall. 

“Wuya did a trick,” she whispered, visibly tensing. “Papa is dead. Could not fight- too much-”

She shook, stifling her tears with a hiccup. Dojo slithered up to her and pat Tala’s back. He looked back to Chase and Dashi, sadly.

“You’re not the only person who’s lost someone, today,” he told Chase. “We all have. Let’s not start fighting each other, when we’re the only Xiaolin left.”

“Dojo’s right,” said Dashi. “The person we should be fighting is Wuya. We can worry about who to blame for this mess, later.”

Chase stormed off toward the entrance of the cave, and leaned against its mouth. He looked out at the falling ash with stiff shoulders, resentfully silent. 

Dashi sighed. “Tala?”

Tala whimpered, but did nothing else. 

Dashi looked to Guan.  “Guan?”

Guan seemed to focus more intently on the pebbles between his feet, a growl-filled sigh rumbling deep in his throat. 

“I’m with you, Dashi,” said Dojo, crawling up Dashi’s arm. He draped himself across Dashi’s shoulders, the little dragon’s warmth a very helpful blanket against the cold. 

“Thanks, Dojo,” he said, pressing his hand against the throbbing in his swollen eye. 

Dashi winced, finally feeling the ache in his bones from being tossed around in the rock giant’s stomach, especially when he sat down again. He leaned against the wall, looking at Tala through the corner of his good eye, and bit back a frown. He couldn’t blame Chase for hating her. 

“We need to think of a plan,” he said. “It’s only a matter of time before Wuya comes after us, again. Does anybody have an idea?”

Silence. 

“Anyone?”

More silence.

“Anyone… at all?”

“Yeah, I have one,” said Chase, from the cave’s entrance. “Shut up. You aren’t our leader.”

“I’m taking the initiative, because  _ you _ refuse to,” snapped Dashi. “You wanted to be our leader so bad, act like it. Do you even want to take down Wuya?”

“I  _ had _ a plan, before ‘Little Miss Dark Magic’ over there sold us out to the enemy!” said Chase.

“Do you have a plan, or not, Chase?” snapped Dashi. 

“Not one that would work, anymore,” he admitted, “but I’m starting to think that maybe we should just hand Tala over. Wuya seemed pretty content on killing her, and leaving us to rot in those rock giants.”

“ _ Bram gahlii sot ongi vah,  _ _ ceuyiao-reuta _ ,” Tala snarled, from her corner. 

“Language, missy!” said Dojo sternly, pointing one of his claws at her. He then added, with a grumble, “Who taught you to have such a dirty mouth?”

“Wuya,” Tala croaked. 

“That explains it,” said Dashi, flatly. 

“You seem to have learned a lot from Wuya,” Chase hissed, finally turning around. 

He stormed over to Tala, pushing Dashi out of his way to get to her. Chase yanked Tala up from the floor, making her cry out. Gripping her arm close, Chase snarled, “How do we know you’re not spying on us for the witch, right now?”

“No!” Tala cried, trying to pull away. 

“ _ No _ ?” Chase mocked her accent harshly, while he sneered. “You’re a witch too, right? How do we know you won’t turn on us, again? How do we know you helping us wasn’t some trick?”

“Chase, let go of her,” Dashi told him, taking Chase’s other arm. 

Chase pulled away from Dashi, and forced Tala to back up to the cave wall. 

“Who are you, Tala?” he growled. “Who are you,  _ really _ ?”

“Helped!” she cried, trying to shrink away. “Saved you! Did not mean for all the bad to happen!”

“So, we should just  _ forgive  _ you?” Chase hissed, beginning to cry again. “No, I don’t think so. My father is dead, because of you!”

“No!” Tala whimpered, “Wuya-”

“You knew how much he meant to me,” Chase cried, “and you did nothing to help him! Not even when I begged you to stop her!  _ You _ should have died, instead!” 

“ _ Chase _ !” Guan’s voice bounced against the cave walls.

Dashi turned around. Guan stood imposingly behind them, his face stern and his fists clenched. 

“Enough,” he said, back to his quiet self. He backed down a little, his gaze faltering to the floor, again. “I am sorry, but we.. we need to stop.. Wuya.”

Chase shoved Tala back into the wall, and walked over to Guan. He let Guan embrace him, as he began to cry again.

“My Papa, too,” Tala whimpered, but it was too quiet for anyone but Dashi and Dojo to hear. “My Papa died, too.”

Tala sunk down, sitting against the wall, and wrapped her arms around her knees. 

“They are all gone,” she said, hollowly. “Mama, Meilin, Papa…”

“We’ll make it right,” Dashi told Tala, sitting beside her.

Tala looked up at him, tears streaming down her face. She shook her head.

“No more Xiaolin magic,” she told him, her face crumbling. “All my fault!”

“That… may be true…” said Dashi, “but we’re Xiaolin warriors. We need to at least  _ try _ to stop Wuya… right?”

“You can travel,” Tala said. “Just go. No more responses-”

“Responsibilities?” Dashi offered. “I mean sure, but that probably wouldn’t be worth it, now that everything’s been remade by Wuya.”

Tala buried her head into her arms with a whine.

“Besides, to travel in  _ this _ weather?” Dashi scoffed. “Are you crazy? Nah, I’d rather wait until we fix this mess.”

“I don’t know,” grumbled Dojo, “I wouldn't mind a vacation, myself. Maybe go to Maui.. Ooh! Or Rome! I love the little mint leaves they put in the drinks-”

Dashi nudged him, and Dojo smiled apologetically. 

“I can’t go see the Whistling-glass Mountains,” said Dashi, “or the Ring of Fire, or even Atlantis, while everything’s covered in ash, now can I?”

He pat the top of Tala’s head, but she shook him off. 

“Not fix,” Dashi heard her say, though Tala’s arms were a bit muffling. “Cannot fix!”

Dashi looked to Dojo for help, but the little dragon just shrugged. 

“Look,” he said, “I can’t say that I’m not just as mad at you as Chase is-”

“We all are,” said Dojo.

“-but we still  _ need _ each other to take Wuya down,” he said, poking Dojo in the stomach, to make him shut up. “You’re the only person on the team with magic, and Wuya’s- well, she seems to be practically made of the stuff. We need you to protect us against her spells, like you did when Dojo flew us away from the Temple.”

“Too much,” Tala whimpered. “ _ Yaowai _ !”

“Just leave her alone, Dashi,” said Chase. “She won’t help us.”

“I believe that Tala is right,” said Guan, though his glare was aimed at her. “Defeating Wuya is impossible. The Scroll of Ages is lost. If we had it, it could have revealed to us how to stop her.”

“But it’s  _ not _ here, is is?” Chase snapped. “Tala just let Wuya destroy it! Now, the world is trapped in a thousand years of darkness!”

“And no more Xiaolin Dragons,” added Dashi, his gut sinking. “We’re the last ones.”

“I can’t believe I ever trusted you,” Chase spat at Tala. “I bet this is what you wanted the entire time, wasn’t it?!”

“ _ Yeu! _ ” Tala cried, “ _ Pohn yeukongtu khaw nathi! _ ”

“Yeah right,” said Chase. 

“Just wanted Papa,” she said, quietly. 

“Well, I want mine too,” he snapped. 

“Chase, please stop,” said Guan. “We  _ all  _ lost our home, today. Some of us twice. Infighting will not solve anything.”

Dojo pulled out something from between his scales, sniffling. A piece of charred parchment, curling at its black edges, unrolled to the length of Dojo’s paw. He looked at it, tears welling up in his eyes.

“Gone too soon,” he whimpered. “He was so young!”

Dashi looked at the parchment over Dojo’s shoulder, as the little dragon cried dramatically. 

“Dojo,” he said, “is that-”

“Yep,” said Dojo, looking down at the parchment, fondly. “All that I could salvage of the Scroll of Ages. anything else that could have survived is scattered around the Xiaolin Temple.”

Dashi tried to reach for it. “Can I see-”

“NO!” Dojo cried, leaning out of Dashi’s reach as far as he could. “You can mourn your way, and I’ll mourn in mine! This is  _ my _ keepsake!”

“Dojo,” said Dashi, trying to reach over him, “please, let me read it!”

“No, Dashi, no!” Dojo cried, “No!”

Guan plucked the parchment from the dragon’s paw, when Dojo stretched far enough to reach him. 

“Hey!” 

Guan handed the parchment to Dashi, without a word. There were three lines written on it. Though covered with ash, and slightly smudged, Dashi could make out: “ _ No matter the outcome of war, there will always be a balance to nature. Light cannot exist without Darkness, neither can Darkness exist without Light. _ ”

“To lose either, would plunge our world into total chaos,” Dashi finished, remembering the passage from when he had learned it as a Trainee. 

Guan and Chase looked at him with worry on their faces. 

“But there is no more Xiaolin magic  _ left _ ,” said Chase. “There is no Light to Wuya’s Darkness.”

“But there is,” said Dashi. “It’s us!  _ We’re _ the Light! We  _ can _ stop Wuya!”

He looked down at the parchment in his hands. 

“We just need to get more pieces of the Scroll. Maybe more parts of it survived,” he suggested, “more parts like this. Maybe even a passage or two, that could help us to stop Wuya.”

He turned to Tala. She looked up at him from where she sat, eyes wide with worry, too. 

“Tala,” he said, “where was the Scroll of Ages destroyed?”

“Lockup,” she said. “Mostly burned, then went.”

“Went?” Dashi asked. 

“A lot of the scraps blew away when the rock giants destroyed the lockup,” Dojo translated for her. 

“We start there, then,” he said, nodding. 

“Wait, no,” said Chase. “Dashi, what do you think is going to happen once we get those pieces? It’s not like the Scroll will just come back to life. You’ll probably be reading useless incantations, if any even survived.”

“That’s why we have Tala,” said Dashi, confidently. “She has magic. Maybe  _ she _ can read the incantations.”

“ _ Yeu _ !” Tala cried, waving her hands. “Do not have magic like that! No rest-or-ation!”

“Restoration,” said Dashi. “Hmm..”

He remembered Jia’s magic, and how she had healed the three of them from their injuries. He looked back to Tala again, saying,  “Your maid friend, Jia.”

Tala shrunk back, shaking her head. “Just a friend!”

“No,  _ she _ has magic too,” said Dashi, sternly. “Jia healed us from our wounds, after  _ you  _ abandoned us to go find the Scroll of Ages.”

Tala shrunk even lower. “...Yes.”

“Can she heal the Scroll of Ages?” asked Guan, from behind Dashi.

“Jia has rest-or-ation,” said Tala, hesitantly. “She fixes pots, and cuts, and-”

“Can she restore the Scroll, or not?” Chase snapped.

“Do not know,” said Tala. “Must need every pieces, maybe.”

“Let’s hope not,” said Dojo, “Most of the Scroll of Ages was turned to ash.”

“Bad idea, then,” said Tala. 

“It’s not,” Dashi insisted.

“It is,” said Chase.  “You’re plan risks us going back to the Temple to be killed by Wuya with half of us injured, and our only magic user pretty much useless, to find a girl who may or may not be able to help us piece back together an ancient scroll that may or may not come back to life with what little pieces of it that we can salvage. And that’s  _ if  _ we can find any other pieces than the one you’re holding. It’s a terrible plan, Dashi!”

“I don’t see you coming up with anything better!” Dashi cried, tossing his hands up. “I’m at least  _ trying _ to do something!”

“Ah!” came Tala’s little squeak.

Dashi looked at her, confused as to why she was suddenly struggling to take off her shoe. When Tala pulled her foot free, a piece of paper fluttered onto the cave floor. She snatched it up and held it out. 

“Have one, too!” she said. “Not useful, though.”

“Great,” said Chase, as Dashi took the little scrap from her,  “so now there’s two peices. Still doesn’t change the fact that this plan is suicide!”

Dashi read the single word on it, smirking a little. “You kept your name? That’s a little morbid, given the situation you were in.”

Tala's nose scrunched up. “Morbid?”

“Bad!” snapped Chase. “You watched the Scroll of Ages burn, and kept your name from it as a trophy. What you did was bad. Sick, even! Not right!”

“I am not sick,” said Tala, “A little tired, but fine.”

“Not _ that  _ kind of sick, you-”

“Chase, calm down,” said Dashi. “She just doesn’t get it.”

“Of course she doesn’t,” said Chase. “She doesn’t get a lot of things! It’s why the world’s ending!”

“Hey,” growled Tala, rising to her feet with a wobble. “I  _ do _ ‘get.’ _ Get _ that you used me to learn of magic,  _ get _ that Dashi does not like to be a monk, or work hard-”

“ _ Hey _ ,”

“- _ get _ that Guan is scared of magic, and get  _ very _ much that Wuya hates all of you! Wuya spoke to me that she knew where my Papa left to, and promised to tell me, so I helped her... _ Aitai, shuo lokeijo ‘si fanan…” _

She gripped the sides of her head and squeezed her eyes shut. Tala bent to her knees. She pressed a hand to the wall, for support. Tala seemed to be in pain, as if speaking their language physically hurt her. 

_ “ _ I did not think, just wanted my Papa,” Tala said, mumbling her words, a little. “Tried much to be good monk, but did not work. Just wanted something softer. Sorry for it,  _ really _ ! Very sorry!”

“But we had tried to help you to  _ be _ better!” said Chase. “We tried to be your friends, and you pretty much just spat in all of our faces!” 

Dashi saw Guan fidget out of the corner of his eye. He was hugging himself and staring at the floor, shoulders stiffening at the sound of Chase’s raised voice. 

Tala pushed her bangs from her face, her cheeks turning deep red.

“.. _ Know _ I do not belong here,” she said. “Just wanted to be where I do. Did not mean to hurt anyperson, just wanted to go home!”

“But you did hurt people, Tala,” said Chase. “It doesn’t matter if you meant to, or not. You caused the destruction of the Temple, _ and _ the Xiaolin, by handing the Scroll of Ages over to Wuya, because you let her plant some silly idea into your head that gave you what you wanted, instead of accepting your situation and making the best of it. Just like this stupid plan that Dashi came up with.”

“Again, if you have any better suggestions, I’d love to hear them!” said Dashi, his face flushing. 

“I’m just saying,” said Chase, backing off with a tint of red to his own cheeks. “This is a  _ very _ bad plan.”

Guan had kept his distance from everyone, not really looking at them either, standing to the side with his arms folded and his jaw tight. Even in speaking, Guan was distant, his voice not quite loud enough for Dashi to catch until he had noticed Guan’s lips moving. He said, what Dashi had assumed to be as, “I agree.”

Dashi folded the two peices of parchment together, and tucked them into his sleeve. He nudged past Chase, saying, “Come on, Dojo.”

Dojo scrambled after him. “Hey, wait up!”

“Where are you going?” Chase demanded. 

“To stop Wuya,” said Dashi, storming toward the entrance of the cave. 

“Are you nuts?!” Chase asked. “Dashi, it’s suicide!”

“I will go, too!” said Tala.

“Come on, Dashi, get back here,” Dashi heard Chase say. “You and Guan are injured, and Tala can’t use any magic right now, so we should be-”

Chase gave a little gasp, and Dashi assumed that Tala had pushed or bumped him on her way over to the entrance. 

Dashi tensed, when he saw her looking up at him with hardened determination. 

“Let me come,” she said, taking his hand. “Want to make this right.”

Dashi shook her off, his stomach twisting with anger. 

“If you can’t use magic, then just stay here,” he snapped. “I don’t feel like babysitting you, when the world is at stake.”

“But I can-” 

Dashi glared at her, and Tala looked away with a frightened squeak.

“Then  _ I _ will help,” said Guan, braking from his statue-like silence and stepping forward. 

“Witches took my first home from me,” he said, wiping tears from his eyes. “I will not let Wuya take the second. You cannot do this alone, Dashi.”

Dashi looked back at Chase, who was now standing along by the fire. His mouth hung open like fish gasping for air. He snapped his mouth shut, and his eyes began to shine over. Turning red, Chase folded his arms and looked down at the floor. 

“I can’t condone this,” he said, voice shaking. “If you guys die, I-”

“We won’t die,” said Dashi, making the half-hearted attempt at a smile. “At least, not if we have you to help us.”

Chase blinked back tears, swallowing hard. “She killed  _ everyone _ . We’re just kids! What can three Apprentices and a Trainee do?!”

“ _ And _ a Temple Guardian!” Dojo pointed out. “Don’t forget me!”

“My father is dead.  _ Grand Master Wei _ is dead!” said Chase. “They both had more experience in fighting witches like Wuya for years _ far _ longer than any of us have been alive! We have  _ zero _  experience, and she's alreadty almost  killed us. If it weren’t for Jia, we would have died! Wuya even said that she didn't even fight us at full power! Imagine what she’ll do when we go back! Imagine what she’ll do, when she doesn’t feel like playing around, anymore! We really _don’t_ know what Wuya is capable of!”

Tala backed away, clutching the hem of her robe. She hiccuped, wiping tears away with the flat of her hand. 

Guan also fought back a few tears, holding himself together with stubborn anger on his face, instead of sadness. 

Dashi felt himself shrink too, his throat tightening as he watched his friends lose hope. He pressed his palm against the throbbing in his eye, again.

“We don’t have much of a chance,” he said, “but it’s still a chance. I know I haven’t had the best track record when it comes to being a monk, but I can’t just stand by and let Wuya destroy everything I care about. It’s true that I’m only an Apprentice -hardly even that- but I’m not going to just run away with my tail tucked between my legs. If any of you feel the same, then you can join me.”

Dojo changed shape, stretching himself through the cave entrance. He twisted his long neck outside to look up at the sky. 

“Last call, kids,” he said, his attempt at sounding cheery falling flat against the dreary mood.  

Dojo looked back at the monks, and Dashi saw his own sad face reflected in the dragon’s giant eyes. He gingerly touched the black bruise on his swelling cheek. Nearly half of his head looked like he was wearing an ugly, black and purple mask. It looked worse than it felt- mostly just bruises and cuts- but seeing the extent of the damage made Dashi feel a little dizzy. He turned away, a sharp pain blooming in his cheek. 

“Fine,” said Chase. “I’m not going to stand by and let you all go kill yourselves. I’m coming.”

“We’ll all die together, then,” said Dashi, his smile quivering against the joke. 

Chase pulled him into a hug. “Don’t say that.”

He went to hug Guan, too. Guan broke down into tears, finally, hugging Chase tightly. 

Tala hung back awkwardly, waiting for them to climb onto Dojo’s back with shifty eyes. She didn’t seem to know what to do, other than sway a little on her feet and play with her hair. 

“Tala,” said Dashi, sighing, “are you  _ really _ sure you can do this?”

Tala shook her head. 

“But… want to help,” she added, “You are right. We must stop Wuya.”

“We need to know that we can trust you to have our backs,” said Chase, sternly. “Can you do that thing again, where you blocked Wuya’s attack?”

Tala nodded. Blue sparks danced around in her hand, taking the shape of a blade. 

“The witch will not hurt you,” she said, harshly. 

Dashi was both a bit impressed, and slightly intimidated. He smirked at such a tiny little thing looking so angry and determined. 

“I’ll take your word for it,” he said, turning to climb onto Dojo’s neck. 

He looked over his shoulder to make sure that everyone was ready. Chase took the place behind him, and Guan was behind Chase. Guan flinched, raising his fist, when Tala tried to get up behind him. She shrunk back, defensively holding her hands over her face. 

Chase growled, rolling his eyes, and motioned for Tala to come over. He pulled Tala up to sit in front of him, and Dashi let her hold onto him. If he were being honest, Dashi didn’t like that Tala was touching him, either. He fought the urge to shove Tala off, and pat Dojo’s neck instead. 

Dojo leapt from the cliff, and shot into the air. Ash was no longer falling. Now, only the black clouds and thunderless lightning filled the sky. It was hard to tell where grass ended at the trunks of the trees began, if it wasn’t for the clumps of grey ash clumping around the branches and roots of the bare trees. There was absolutely no color to the world, except for the  green lightning that snaked through the clouds. There were no animals, no birds, no wind; the whole world outside seemed to have died alongside the Xiaolin Masters.


	28. Chapter 28

Twenty-eight_ Desperate Measures  

Water rushed past Jia’s face. She gasped for air when the chair she sat in was forced back upright. Jia wheezed raggedly, coughing up the water she had swallowed. From behind the curtain of her drenched hair, she glared at the witch. The red-headed demon smiled smugly at Jia, leaning on the doorframe with folded arms.

“Are you awake, yet?” she asked.

“Get lost,” Jia spat.

She barely had enough time to hold her breath when the giant behind her forced Jia’s head back into the water. She kept her eyes open, focusing on the black flecks of dirt left at the bottom of the basin, refusing to struggle or show any fear. The stony knuckles of the giant scraped against the back of her neck when he pulled her back up by the collar of her frock.

“Alright, alright, don’t drown her,” she heard the witch drawl. “I still need her alive.”

“What do you want with me?” Jia rasped, glaring as the witch lazily pushed herself up from her leaning spot.

Flicking her red hair over her shoulders, the witch smiled. Jia noticed, with eyes widening, that she was holding her side, covering up the slow way she moved toward the washing basin with a confident smirk.

“You’re a Hydra,” said the witch. “Lucky, _lucky_ me.”

“No,” said Jia, “I’m just a maid that works here. What in the world is a Hydra?”

“You’re a witch, like I am,”  said the witch, sighing as if it were the most inconvenient thing in the world to explain. “Not that powerful of one though, since you made a nuisance of yourself and almost _dropped dead_ while reversing the damage I did to those Xiaolin dogs, but you still have the ability to return whatever you desire back to its prior state. _That’s_ what I mean by calling you a Hydra. It’s your bloodline’s signature ability. One of them, anyway.”

“I still don’t understand why you just haven’t killed me yet, for helping the monks,” said Jia. “What’s the point of telling me about this Hydra nonsense?”

“Kids these days don’t know anything about their own history,” said the witch, rubbing her temples. “Don’t tell me that you didn’t know that your magic comes from one of the most infamous Heylin bloodlines, this side of China! No wonder you’ve wasted your time just being a maid!”

She yanked the top of Jia’s chair forward, forcing Jia to stare into her eyes. The witch’s red hair spilled over her shoulders, faintly smelling of cinnamon. Her green eyes were strange, spirals swirling inside of them instead of pupils. Jia’s stomach twisted at the hypnotic way they turned, but she dared not even blink. The witch smiled.

“Ohh, I know which clan _you’re_ from,” she purred. “I’d recognize that scent anywhere. Your generic, human face can’t cover _that_ up. My brother married one of you a few centuries back, to help expand the Mountain’s borders. The Valley People, right? Small world. I thought you all died off, half a century ago. Though, judging by how faint the smell is-”

The witch took a whiff of Jia’s hair, second-judging. Jia shuddered, leaning away.

“There isn’t _much_ Valley in you, is there? I can only just barely smell your magic, underneath all that.. _yuck_ ,” said the witch. “Poor thing, you might as well be a _Zeiyo_. I feel sorry for your ancestors. They must have been desperate to keep their numbers up. No wonder all you’ve got is that quaint, little gift of yours. Thankfully, it’s useful.”

The witch came even closer, her fangs brushing the tip of Jia’s ear.

“That’s lucky for you,” she said. “It’s the only reason that I haven’t killed you, yet. Heal me, and I’ll let you live. And since both our clans are gone, _if_ I'm feeling generous after this is all over, I could let you join me. I could be your mentor, maybe see if there are a few more abilities trapped deep, deep down inside of you.”

Jia’s voice was hoarse, scratching fire straining her throat. “ _You’re_ the one who’s desperate, not my ancestors. I don’t need a clan.”

The witch pulled away, staring down at Jia with wide eyes. She breathed in deeply before smiling warmly, her eyelids heavy with hidden thoughts.

“My name is Wuya,” she said, petting the back of Jia’s head. “I’m running out of time to overtake my enemies, while they are still weak...and if you don’t heal me, Valley girl,-”

She yanked hard on Jia’s hair. Jia cried out, feeling a clump of her hair give way beneath the witch’s closed fist.

“I will kill you for betraying our kind,” said Wuya, coldly, “and I will do that both slowly _and_ painfully. I don’t have the patience left for any more traitors. I think I’ll start by plucking out your pretty hair, strand-by-strand.”

Jia ground her teeth together, glaring up at Wuya as she breathed against the slow, grueling tug of the witch’s claws at her scalp.

“I’ll do it, I’ll do it!” Jia said, unable to help the tears of pain pricking the corners of her eyes.

Wuya let her go, roughly pushing Jia’s head back with a satisfied grin. “Untie her hands.”

Jia yanked her arms back as fast as she could, the second she felt the rope loosen. She rubbed out the purple marks and numbness in her wrists. Wuya grabbed one, squeezing only just hard enough to make Jia wince at its soreness. She placed Jia’s hand on her wound.

Jia’s stomach churned at the sticky, soft fat that was exposed. Wuya’s breathing deepened under her hand, but that was the only sign of pain the witch showed.

“Did Tala do this?” Jia asked looking at the charred black and red flesh surrounding the ugly, blistering yellow.

“Oh, so you know her,” said Wuya.

Hope leapt into Jia’s throat, blurring her eyes with tears. “She’s alive?”

“Not for much longer,” said Wuya. “Now, _do it_ or you’ll be joining her. This reversal shouldn’t be too hard, since I so graciously gave you some time to rest _._ ”

Jia looked into Wuya’s eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. Then she pressed the flat of her palm into the burn, breathing out. With her breath came the soft, white glow of her magic. It tingled the roof of her mouth and coated her tongue with the taste of peach, and filled the room with the scent of fresh, clean snow.

Jia’s arm shook with the strain, feeling her magic sap the energy from her back and shoulders very quickly. She hissed, yanking her arm away. Jia’s whole body slumped with the feeling of carrying a heavy sack of rice for ten miles without rest; even her lungs felt the strain. She let her head hang, squeezing her eyes shut with shame, a few tears falling.

Wuya gently tucked Jia’s chin between her forefinger and thumb, lifting her heavy, heavy head.

“Good girl,” she murmured, planting a soft kiss onto Jia’s forehead. “You’ve even restored some of the energy I lost. Hydra magic really does live up to the name. I might keep you.”

The giant behind Jia offered his mistress a small blanket. Wuya took it, and dropped it into Jia’s lap without another word. Jia felt empty, her eyes drifting to Wuya’s stomach. There was not one scratch, just a tear in her dress where the burn had been.

The taste of peach faded from Jia’s mouth and crawled back down her throat, its sweetness making her stomach sour. She began to shiver, and wrapped the blanket around her shoulders, squeezing the water out of her hair with it.

“Make sure she eats something,” Wuya told the rock giant from over her shoulder. “I might need her, again.”

Wuya’s eyes lingered on Jia, meeting her tears with mild disgust, before briskly stepping out of the room.

Jia leaned back into the chair, looking up at the giant. The giant cocked its head, making a confused noise when Jia waved up at it.

“Do you have a mat that I can rest on?” she asked, sniffing back the urge to cry.

The giant picked her up, chair and all, and walked over to the corner. He poured her over, as if she were yesterday’s laundry. Jia yelped, landing on a heap of cotton sheets that were all bundled up together.  

“Thanks,” she grumbled, watching the giant duck under the doorframe.

The whole room rattled when he slammed the door shut, splintering a part of the painted wood around the corners of the door. Gold paint fell onto the floor, leaving ugly patches of dark brown on the frame.

Jia shivered, yanking a few of the sheets over herself. Her chest tightened, thinking of only one thing: Tala was alive.

Jia could not waste more energy by crying. The only way she could help Tala now would be to rest, and be ready to help her and the other monks when the time came.

 _If_ that time came.

Jia hugged herself tightly, biting her lip against wanting to burst into tears. She took a deep breath. She pulled the blanket tighter, wondering what Grandmother would say if she knew what she had just done. Grandmother had always told Jia to help people with her magic, to heal them if there was ever the need, but now she had just doomed everyone.

It was true that Jia’s skill just saved her life, but now the witch was back to full strength, and the monks could still be injured and unable to stop her. Despite knowing that there was nothing else she could have done if she wanted to stay alive, Jia still felt shame claw at her belly. She scrubbed the tears away that tried to escape, biting down on her lip again.

She thought back on what the witch had said about her. Grandmother had told Jia similar stories, how the Valley People had an array of different abilities, and how Grandmother herself knew of a woman from her village, who had an ability similar to Jia’s, that could reverse the damage done to anything that had been broken, even healing a man who had been badly injured in a plowing accident- one story out of the hundred that Grandmother had told to Jia and her brother.

Wuya called them Hydra, but Grandmother hadn’t ever mentioned the word in any of her stories. Jia touched her lips, only realizing that she had said it out loud when she tasted peach on her tongue.

“Hydra,” she whispered again, the peach taste growing a bit stronger. “Why didn't Grandmother tell me that I was using Heylin magic?”

Jia’s fingers tingled with magic, searching for something to fix. Her magic only seemed to want to help. It didn't act like Wuya and her magic at all. She thought of Grandmother, how she had once said that the relationship between a witch and her magic was a partnership, that she had to respect its natural tendencies, in order to control it.

Grandmother had always warned Jia only to give her magic what it wanted, never to force it into doing what _she_ wanted. Jia’s magic was quite content with just reversing broken things, never really acting for good or evil, sometimes even fixing things without Jia’s permission, simply because something had been broken. Grandmother had always made sure to give Jia small tasks, like mending tears in dresses or reversing shattered plates, to keep it satisfied and from going out of control. Perhaps this ‘Hydra’ thing was why.

Jia closed her eyes against a forming headache, lightly tapping the side of her head to the floor, hoping to knock the witch’s voice from her thoughts.

“I can’t believe she has me locked up in a bathroom,” Jia growled, glaring at the tub basin she had nearly drowned in, She basked in the irony that no woman was allowed to touch the Grand Master’s private bath. “..Wait.”

Jia sat up, looking to the window above her. Though still very drained, she dragged herself to her feet, kicking the blankets away, and took a quick look out the window. That’s right! The Jade Circle’s bathing rooms were facing the west gate! If she could get out, then she could find the emergency evacuation path, make her way down river, and- _then_ what? She was a  maid! She didn’t know how to fight! She didn’t even know where the monks were! How could she hope to find them? How could she hope to _help_ them?!

Jia took a deep breath, sighing her doubt away. It didn’t matter. She knew what she had to do. Jia looked over her shoulder, listening for anything outside of the room. Even if she couldn’t help the monks, she didn’t want to just stick around, either.

Jia climbed up onto the ledge of the basin, and reached for the stained-glass window above it. The window was large enough for Jia to slide through, with a wisteria tree just beyond it. If she could shimmy across the branch, Jia could climb down the trunk and make her escape, though she wasn’t quite sure if the branch closest to the window would be big enough to hold her weight. Jia hesitated again, trying to judge the width of the branch with squinty eyes. The shape of the painted phoenix blurred most of her view of it.

Jia looked over her shoulder again, straining her ears to listen for movement outside of the bathing room. There was nothing. She looked back to the window, trying to discern the width of the branch one more time without making any unnecessary noise, but it was impossible with the red and gold bird blocking most of the tree from her sight.

“Grandmother, guide me,” she said, and ran her fingers along the edge of the golden windowpane.

Praying that it wasn’t jammed, Jia pushed. The window opened with a grinding squeak. Jia flinched, holding her breath. There wasn’t a single sound outside. She waited a few seconds more, before opening the window the rest of the way, inch-by-inch.

The painted glass tilted outward, finally leaving a space big enough for Jia to slip through. Jia looked down at the wisteria’s branch, hanging just below the window. It was slick from the snow, and was covered in grey ash, pathetically drooping from the weight of what was already accumulated. The branch was skinnier than she had thought, too, looking more like a dried up snake than anything else. Jia’s stomach flipped at the idea of falling, especially from this height. She scanned the tree to look for better options, but that sad little branch was the only one close enough to the window for her to reach.

The door handle jiggled, and Jia froze. She pulled her head back in and tugged the window shut, quickly. She dove right back into the blankets, covering herself as if she were asleep.

The giant luckily had a bit of trouble getting back in, and cracked the doorframe even worse, when it forced the door open with a shove. Flecks of gold paint fell to the tile floor as the giant’s bulging shoulders brushed against the doorframe. The walls around it cracked all the way up to the ceiling, even loosening a few tiles and shattering them on the floor.

Jia hugged herself tightly, flinching at every sound until a loud clatter near her head made her grind her teeth very hard. The blanket was ripped from Jia, and she came face-to-face with a smashed platter of food, a lot of it fallen to the floor in crumbs and splatters. The only thing really worth salvaging from it was a sweet bun, already bitten into. Jia slowly let her gaze float up to the giant’s grumpy face, her own just as flat and annoyed.

“Nothing to drink?” she asked.

The giant pointed to the bathing basin with a grunt.

“Okay, then,” Jia clipped, snatching the sweet bun before the giant’s foot could squash it on his way back out the door.

She watched the giant leave, chewing on the sweet bun.

Once he was gone, she leapt to her feet. Holding the bun between her teeth, Jia went back to the window. She took another large bite out of the sweet bun as she looked out of it, trying to figure out the best angle for not falling to her death.

Jia chucked the rest of her treat out the window, watching the pastry tumble into the black grass and crumble into tiny bits. Whatever hopeful  illusions she had to how far she was from the ground broke into peices alongside that sad little bun, now covered in ash.

Jia sighed. “Well, here’s to hoping-”

Jia leaned out, and reached for the branch again. Ash fell to the ground with a wet _plop!_ when she missed, barely brushing the tip of it with her finger. She tried again, pushing herself forward with a grunting lunge.

Jia grabbed the branch, and pulled it toward the window. It leaned forward with a creaking whine, and she could hear the inner part of the branch give way to the strain.

Jia huffed and let go. The branch snapped back, causing the branches above and around it to sway. Jia flinched at the sound, her heart stopping for a few seconds. She got low, listening for rock giants, but only silence met the pounding of her heart.

She checked her footing again, and inched further out of the window, straddling the ledge with one foot pressing into the grating on the outside wall. Jia reached her foot out, gripping the windowsill with her hands. She tried to hook her ankle around the bend in the branch, but she was just a few inches short of a good angle, and kept knocking it away.

Jia slipped.

The wind was knocked out of her when Jia was stopped short, hanging in the air by her leg. Then she floated down the rest of the way, landing on her back with a surprisingly light thud. She sat up with a gasp, ready to face a giant, or even Wuya, but neither of those things were staring her down.

“Tala!” she gasped, breathlessly laughing.

Jia leapt up and wrapped Tala in a squeezing hug. She pulled away, smoothing down Tala’s hair to get a good look at her. Tala’s eyes darted everywhere but Jia’s face, as she shrank back. She shuffled on her feet, looking behind herself.

“Are you okay?” Jia asked. “Are you hurt? How did you escape Wuya?”

Tala backed out from Jia’s hands, and held them in her own. She still did not meet Jia’s eyes, looking over her shoulder again.

“I am fine,” she said, “but we must hurry. No time.”

Tala tugged on Jia’s hands, and pulled her toward the gate, hiding behind the rubble of a garden house.

“Tala, I have to tell you something,” said Jia.

Tala poked her head out from behind the broken wall, then looked back to Jia with finger pressed to her lips.

Jia whispered, “Can you listen to me for a second? It’s important!”

“Shhh!” Tala insisted, slapping Jia’s shoulder.

She reached up on her tippy-toes to get a better look.

“Tala, I-”

“Shh, listening!”

“I healed Wuya!” Jia  whispered, harshly.

Tala whipped her head around fast, her eyes wide and angry.

“ _Chao deir?!_ ” she hissed. “Jia, no!”

Jia’s face grew hot, despite feeling like ice water had just been poured down her back.

“She threatened to kill me,” said Jia. “She was gonna rip out my hair, and drown me in the Grand Master’s bath!”

Jia heard someone hiss from the other side of the building, “Hurry up!”

Jia also peeked around the wall, and saw Chase waving at them with Dashi and Guan crouched down beside him.

“Need to get to lockup,” Tala told Jia, taking her hand again. “Hurry!”

“No,” said Jia, yankning Tala’s arm back. “We _need_ to get back to the west gate, and leave the Temple!”

“No,” said Tala, yanking back even harder, “need to go to lockup. _Now._ ”

“What’s at the lockup that’s more important than escaping a Heylin Sorceress?” Jia snapped. “Wuya’s back to full power! You can’t stop her!”

“The Scroll,” said Tala. “Must find pieces.”

“You aren’t making sense,” said Jia, trying to pull Tala with her. “You know we can’t stay here! We should just let the Xiaolin Apprentices handle it. _They_ were trained for this.”

Tala ripped her hand away, and stood firmly. Jia bit back her surprise, glaring at Tala since she couldn’t yell. Tala looked just as angry, both of her little fists balled at her sides.

“I am a Xiaolin Warrior, too,” said Tala. “I will not run.”

Jia swallowed against the urge to scream at Tala, wondering if she could just pick the younger girl up and run.

“It’s not fair,”  said Jia. “You’re a _little girl._ You shouldn’t _have_ to fight Wuya. Just come with me! We can follow the river, and-”

“No,” said Tala, firmly. “I will not run.”

Jia looked over her shoulder, toward the west gate. “Then I’ll-”

“ _Ui_ , please,” said Tala. “Do not run, too. We need your help.”

“What?” she asked, choking down her surprise. “I’m a maid! What can I do?”

“Rest-or-ation,” said Tala.

“What? Tala, what are you talking about?”

Jia heard Chase hiss again, “ _Hurry up_!”

“We need you” said Tala. “ _Ui,_ please, help us!”

“Wuya is out here, looking for you!” said Jia. “The best way to help any of you is to escape, down river!”

“Bad idea,” said Tala. “Wuya _must_ be stopped, _now_.”

“I don’t even know what you want me to do!” snapped Jia, pinching the bridge of her nose.  “I can’t fight like you, I can’t make fireballs or cast lightning, or any of that! I just have my stupid restoration ability, and I just used it to help the worst person in the world get enough of her strength back to hunt down and kill a bunch of children!”

“Your magic is good, Jia,” said Tala, “We need good magic. Please, come with me.”

Jia blushed, guilt pooling into the bottom of her stomach. The witch had specifically said that hers was Heylin magic, and a famous one at that. But, looking at Tala’s wide, hopeful eyes, it was hard to admit. She could, perhaps, _use_ it for good, at least. Jia felt a prickle at her fingers, as if her magic were agreeing with her.

“Fine,” said Jia, sighing, “which way?”

Tala relaxed, breaking into a smile. She offered her hand. When Jia took it, they ran.

* * *

 

Rubble was scattered around where the lockup once stood. Trees were splintered like jagged teeth, and the open mouths of their trunks were filled with ash. There was nothing but the foundation of the lockup left standing, covered with discarded hay and black clumps of paper ash. Every last one of the cages had been smashed, bowing out like spider legs.

Tala gulped at the reminder that she could have been smashed along with them, if Dojo hadn’t sprung her from her cage. She hadn't realized that she was shaking until she felt the weight of Jia’s fingers intertwining with her own. She looked up at Jia, blushing with her silent thanks.

The other monks weren’t too far ahead, Guan and Chase already bending down to sift through the hay and dirt for any bits of the Scroll of Ages that they could find.

“I found one!” cried Dojo, excitedly.

He held a scrap up for everyone to see.

They all shushed him at once, hissing like snakes.

“Wuya, rock giants, no noise,” Dashi mouthed.

Everyone nodded with agreement. Tala, especially keeping a wary eye up to the green lightning that flitted through the black clouds above them.

A light breeze blew past, and caused the scrap that Dojo held  to crumble into ash.

“...Never mind,” he grumbled, bending down to sift through more hay.

Tala brushed off a bit of dirt from a small fragment that was only slightly bigger than the first she had found in her cell. It only had maybe half a word on it, and the characters were so smudged that she couldn’t tell if it was upside down or sideways. It was a useless piece, but figuring that it was still a piece, Tala tucked it into her sleeve.

She got onto her knees to look for more. Jia gathered her skirt and crouched beside Tala, sifting through the hay thoroughly. Tala watched her, feeling a little flushed by how pretty Jia was, with such a fixed expression on her face. She quickly went back to sifting when Jia stole a glance back at her.

“Are you okay?” Jia whispered.

Tala nodded.

“What happened?” asked Jia, as quietly as she could. “I’ve notice that something seems off between you and the others.”

Tala took a quick glance around. It was more than obvious that the boys were avoiding her. They were keeping close to each other in their search, but left a wide berth between themselves and Tala. Even Dojo, fidgety as he was, kept far away from her as he rummaged through a pile of small boulders. He dug a bit faster, even jumping a bit, when he felt her eyes on him.

Tala bit the inside of her cheek, and went back to poking around in the hay. “No _thing_.”

“It’s not too late to run, you know,” Jia whispered.

Tala swallowed the stone in her throat and rubbed at the stinging in her eye. “I know.”

After a few more minutes of searching, the group came back together to compare the peices that they had found.

Dashi had found the most, and the most _useful_ by far, with six peices large enough to make out a few sentences. Jia held four peices, though they were too charred to read. Dojo had the same at four, but he was able to read at least two of his. Guan and Chase each had three, that oddly-enough fit together to complete a passage, and Tala only had the one she found while searching beside Jia.

Dashi laid them all together in the order he thought they would have been in, and all six of the group looked down at them, trying to decipher what they could.

“Looks a little like a cat, don’t you think?” asked Dojo, pushing one of the larger peices closer to the center.

Chase swat his claws away, hissing, “Who cares what it looks like! Can you read what they say?”

“Hmm,” said Dojo, as the monks and Jia watched him curiously. “Maybe. But most of these words go to different passages in the Scroll of Ages. See, this one here-”

He said, pointing to three separate peices, one of them charred black. “This passage is about the original Warrior of Light. I can make out the characters of his name, and Heylin.. and something..something.. A bowl of soup.”

“Great,” snapped Chase. To Dashi, he said, “I told you this was a bad plan! These are useless!”

“He’s not finished yet,” said Dashi. “Try another one, Doj.”

Dojo pointed to the cluster of four that were closest to Chase. “Ooh! This one’s about you guys! See? I see Tala’s name!”

Tala stiffened, when Chase scoffed,  “Does it tell you how she sold us out to Wuya?”

“Don’t be silly,” said Dojo. “It could very well be saying something about you guys saving- Oh….Yeah, it...does.”

Tala deflated.

“That must have been the last thing the Scroll of Ages had written into itself,” said Guan, thoughtfully.

Tala stood. “I will… look to there,” she said, pointing to one of the destroyed cages.

No one really seemed to mind what she had told them, pulling themselves close over the peices of the Scroll of Ages, as Dojo chattered on about the rest of what they had found. She sat down next to the battered pipes with a sigh, and traced her finger in the ash.

Tala drew a picture of Mama, Meilin, and Papa. Their stick figures smiled up at her, and she gave them a quivering smile back. Tala added Jia, then Dashi, then Guan, then Dojo and Chase. She even added Grand Master Wei with his flowing robes and long beard, and Master Young with his ever-present scowl of disapproval. She giggled a little at it, thinking that his drawn counterpart wasn’t nearly as scary as the real thing, even though she made the effort to add the scar on his lip, too. Then, she frowned.

Tala began to cross them all out. First Meilin, then Mama, then Master Young, and Grand Master Wei. She stopped over Papa, hesitating as tears began to blur her eyes. She wiped him and the rest out wildly then, swiping away her friends with her sleeve.

The ash she had dawn them in flew up into her face, but the pain of the grit in her eyes only made Tala angry. She pounded at the rest of the ash with her fist, causing it all to scatter. She gasped, realizing that she had cracked the ground with her punch. A tiny hole was left where her knuckles had been. She remembered when Wuya did the same, shuddering at the memory of Wuya’s anger.

Dirt and ash covered her fingers, as she held her now throbbing hand close to herself. Tala struggled to hold her tears back when she saw that half of Mama’s face was still left, the cracks she had made seeping into Mama’s cheek in a similar shape to Wuya’s tattoos.

She whirled around when someone touched her shoulder. Dojo flinched, shielding himself, when her raised fist seemed like it would hit him. Dojo relaxed, looking a bit sad. He offered his claws to her.

“Come on,” he said, softly. “We can’t start without you.”

Tala sniffed away the last of her tears, and let Dojo lead her back to the group.

Jia‘s magic was already glowing over the Scroll’s peices. Her focus was a little unnerving for Tala, watching Jia grit her jaw and glare hard as she cast her spell. The refreshing smell of snow hit Tala’s face like a breeze, strong enough to even make her cheeks feel a little cold.

She could see beads of sweat begin to trickle down Jia’s neck, when Chase growled, “It’s not working!”

“No, wait,” whispered Dashi, excitedly, “Look!”

Slowly, the black peices began to unfurl, white dripping through the black like rain running down window glass. The already white peices began to stitch themselves back together, but stopped. Jia dropped the spell with an agonized gasp. Tala rushed to her side, catching Jia when she slumped over.

“It’s not enough,” she said, between breaths. “We need more peices. My magic is too weak.”

“You aren’t trying hard enough,” Guan accused, glaring at her.

“I can’t just pull a whole scroll filled with three-thousand years worth of Xiaolin knowledge out of thin air, you know!” said Jia.

“ _Ui,_ ” said Tala. “Do not fight, please! You must rest.”

“What else can we do to help you fix it?” asked Dashi.

Jia pressed into Tala. Tala noticed that a faint scent of her magic still lingered, with a blush in her cheeks.

“Give me time,” said Jia, “I’m still weak from healing Wuya. If I had more peices of the Scroll, I could probably be able to restore it back to the state it was before Wuya got her hands on it… in _theory._ I’ve never tried to reverse the damage of anything on this big a scale before.”

“You healed _us_ ,” Dashi offered. “We were all at death’s door, and you were even able to reverse the damage done to my shoulder. That happened _way_ before Wuya got her rock giants to toss me around.”

Tala helped Jia to rise to her feet, meeting Guan’s glare as they passed him.

“I knew it,” he said, turning his head away from them. “Nothing good _ever_ comes from magic.”

Tala ducked under his judgement, and made sure to get out of earshot from the group, leaving them behind at the lockup, as she lead Jia to a broken tree stump behind a bit of rubble.

Jia leaned into her hands, groaning as she sat down. She asked, “There’s no water around, is there?”

Tala shook her head. Jia smiled prettily, pressing Tala’s cheeks together with her hands.

“Remember when we met?” she asked.

Tala seized up, her face growing hot. But instead of pushing her away, Tala placed her hands over Jia’s.

“Cute cute,” she said, remembering.

Jia’s smile broadened.

“I knew you would,” she said.

Tala couldn’t find it in herself to smile back, not fully. Jia just looked so tired, making the fond memory, in a way, feel like a goodbye.

Tala bit her lower lip, pressing Jia’s hands a little closer to her face. Her cheeks felt so hot, and her stomach skipped around so wildly, that Tala thought she might explode. She wanted so much to tell Jia how much their friendship meant to her, but wasn’t quite sure about the words.

“Jia?” she asked, shyly.

Before Jia could ask what was wrong, Tala leaned in. She pecked Jia on the lips, just barely hitting her mark because of how hard she was shaking. She lingered for a few agonizing seconds, Jia sitting perfectly still. Tala braced herself for a scolding, when Jia gently removed Tala’s hands, and finally leaned her head away.

“Sweet girl,” said Jia, pulling Tala’s head down a little to kiss her forehead, “I’m sorry, but I don’t feel that way for you.”

Tala nodded, understanding, but felt her throat tighten all the same. Jia looked a little sad, too. She smoothed Tala’s hair down with a shining in her eyes, and a small smile.

“I _do_ care for you,” she said, insisting it with a quiver to her chin.

Tala nodded, again.

“ _Ui_ ,” she said, placing a hand over her chest. “No hurt in the heart. I am happy, because you are still _Ui_.”

“And you are still my sweet girl,” said Jia, pulling Tala into a hug. She whispered, “I just wish my magic was strong enough to help a bit more.”

Tala nodded and rested her cheek on Jia’s shoulder.

“ _Pohn sula_ , I also,” she said, hugging her dear friend a little more tightly.

“How _touching_.”

Blue sparks zapped into Tala’s fists, when she whirled on Wuya. The witch smiled smugly at them from the sky, and floated down.

“So, you swing _that_ way,” she said. “I should have realized. I was wondering why you didn’t seem to like pretty boy all that much.”

Tala crouched into a stance and lunged at Wuya, her fist blazing with blue. Wuya caught her without effort, and tossed Tala behind her with even more ease.

Jia shot to her feet, yelling for the other monks, but Tala was too distracted to really understand what Jia was shouting. She ran at Wuya again, screaming with anger.

Wuya dodged Tala’s fists like oil mixing with water, too fast and too fluid for Tala to keep up.

“ _Oh come on, Tala. You’re tiring, already_ ,” said Wuya. “ _Didn’t you learn anything from me? Never. Waste. Your_ _magic_.”

She grabbed Tala’s hand, dousing the blue sparks like the stopper of a candle. Tala cried out when Wuya bent her elbow back, forcing Tala to her knees. “ _Not when you can savor your enemy’s pain, by breaking them piece-by-piece_.”

Tala tasted iron, her stomach clenching violently when she felt the snap at her elbow. She tried to swing at Wuya with her free hand, aiming a fireball for her face, but Wuya caught that one too, and pushed Tala even further into the dirt, nearly making the back of Tala’s head touch the ground.

“ _Look at how pathetic you are!_ ” said Wuya. “ _Still not thinking ahead! After everything I taught you, it’s like my lessons went from one ear and out the other_ . _Well, I guess that’s what_ _I_ _get for trying to help you reach your fullest potential._ ”

Tala growled against the pain, and tried to use her magic again, the sparks arching weakly between Wuya’s fingers. They lit up Wuya’s face, sharpening her cruel smile and spiraling eyes.

“ _I know I haven’t been very fair to you_ ,” said the witch, yanking Tala up. Tala’s feet dangled, as Wuya held her close. Wuya’s smile widened sharply, when she said, “ _but I know how to cheer you up! I_ _will_ _take you to your father, after all!_ ”

Tala screamed, when green sparks traveled from Wuya’s fingers to her shoulder. Tala tried to pull away from Wuya’s hands, but already began to feel herself weaken. She fell limp, and Wuya tossed her to the ground. Tala’s vision faded at the edges, as a weightlessness took over the spaces in her head. The last thing Tala saw were the feet of the other three monks as they charged Wuya. 


	29. Chapter 29

Twenty-nine_ A Real Nightmare 

Chase yelled, when Wuya dodged his aerial kick. He snarled, landing on his feet in front of Tala’s body. 

“What’s the matter, pretty boy?” Wuya called, floating down a safer distance away. “Did I hurt your little friend?”

Chase felt the back of his foot nudge Tala’s hand, when he prepared himself for another sprint. He looked down, his heart stopping at the sight of her charred robes and the odd angle her arm laid above her head, where it had snapped. His stomach clenched at the smell of burned linen. 

“You, shut up!” he screamed back at her, his voice raw with rage. “I’ll get you for this,  _ and _ for my father! Dashi, Guan!”

The other two monks already knew what he had planned. It was the same maneuver that his father had been teaching them for months. Dashi and Guan both nodded, confirming that they understood. They ran toward the witch, with Chase at the helm.

He tossed Jia a quick glance, shouting, “Get Tala out of here! We can’t be worrying about dead weight!”

“Too soon, Chase,” said Dashi, flanking his right. 

Wuya snatched Chase’s arm before he could land the blow, and turned, pushing him into Dashi. Wuya spun on her heel, ducking under Guan’s kick. Dashi and Chase linked arms, and came for her together. Like a whip, Chase threw Dashi forward, and used the momentum to throw himself, and snap each of their fists into the witch’s stomach, sending Wuya back a few feet. 

Wuya seemed genuinely surprised that they’d landed the hit, glaring at Chase with wide eyes as she doubled over, clutching her stomach. 

“That was only the beginning,” said Chase. 

He and Dashi clasped hands again, and Guan joined his other side. They ran forward, spreading their arms out like a wall, with the intention of blocking her in before she could summon any of her rock giants. Wuya smiled, straightening, and let the boys surround her. 

They all came for her at once, with Dashi attacking first. Wuya ducked beneath his spinning kick, fluidly dancing around Chase’s punch and snapping Guan’s arm back with the same, unbroken movement. She held her hand at the back of Guan’s neck, pushing him down near the shoulder, holding his arm captive. 

“I thought the mighty Xiaolin Apprentices were trained to be disciplined, not sloppy,” said Wuya, smiling directly at Chase. 

She didn’t notice Dashi, just like he had planned, and grunted with surprise when he jabbed his knee into her side. Guan staggered out of Wuya’s grip, as Dashi grabbed her head and thrusted his knees into her stomach, one after the other, without pause. 

“Watch her hands, Dashi,” Chase warned. “She still has her-”

The sky lit up bright green overhead, and Dashi yelped when a bolt of lightning narrowly missed him. He let go of Wuya in his surprise, trying to leap out of the way. 

Wuya smiled.

“What are your legs made out of, straw?” she asked, brushing the dust from her dress. “Don’t make me laugh.”

She dropped to the ground, sweeping low, and caught Dashi’s ankle with her foot. Chase ran forward, making Dashi spin over his back to resteady his feet behind him, instead of falling. 

“I’ll do this, myself,” Chase hissed. 

“Finally, the prodigy challenges me, instead of sending his friends,” said Wuya, inspecting her nails. They sharpened with a glow of green. Wuya looked up with a twice-as-sharp grin. “I’m going to rip your heart out, and make you eat it.”

Wuya bent into a stance, and so did Chase. 

“I’ll make you regret what you’ve done,” he hissed.

“Xiaolin Monks have been saying that to me for the past three hundred years,” she said. “They never do.”

She took the Warrior's Stance, flicking the fingers of the arm she held out toward Chase.

“I’ll give you the fist blow,” she offered. 

Chase clenched his jaw, and thrust his palm out. Wuya rolled his arm over hers, and slammed her own palm into his nose. Chase didn’t even have time to raise his arms, as Wuya elbowed his chest rapidly, pushing him back with each blow before finally sending him flying with a kick to his throat. 

Chase landed on his back, gasping for air. He could feel and taste the blood pouring from his nose and down his chin. Lightning reached across the clouds above him, silently mocking him like a jagged smile. 

Chase yelped when he was yanked forward by his ankle, looking up just in time to see Wuya turn to block Dashi. She spun toward him, stepped on Dashi’s leg for leverage, and leapt up to send a kick to his head. Dashi hit the ground hard, knocked out cold. 

She blocked Guan too, rolling his arm over her head when he tried to punch her, and kneed him squarely in the chest. She snapped her other leg up to catch his throat, and send him onto his back as well. 

Chase, still gasping for air, struggled to get up, only for Wuya to grab his hand and and yank him to his feet. 

“Some prodigy,” she said, pulling Chase close, by his collar, “I don’t know what that old goat sees in you. You’re nothing more than a little boy trying to play hero, but there’s nothing for you to save anymore, now is there?”

Chase pried at her hand. He tried to knee her ribs, but Wuya lifted him high above her head. Wuya’s face twisted into a gruesome, cat-like grin.

“The Xiaolin Dragons are a joke,” she said. “I didn’t even really  _ need _ to use my magic on you three! Trust me, the world will be better off without you.”

She grunted when something hit her back. Dashi wiped at the fresh cut below his black eye, breathing hard, and raised his fists to his face. 

Chase couldn’t see, but he felt Guan’s presence rise up behind him. 

“The world will always need us,” said Guan.

“Darkness cannot exist without a light to cast its shadow,” added Dashi. 

“Seriously?!” cried Wuya, tossing Chase to the ground. Her face darkened. “You kids are like cockroaches! Luckily, I know a few tricks for squashing bugs.”

She raised her arms, lightning flaring in the sky above her. 

“I underestimated you kids, last time,” she said, smiling down at Chase. “I might not need my magic to defeat you, but I’ll give you the honor of seeing what a Heylin Sorceress can  _ really _ do, before you die.”

She clapped her hands together, and the world vanished.

Chase tried to stand up, but the ringing in his ears made him too dizzy. There was nothing but white light all around him. When the ringing faded, there was no sound. Chase tried again to stand, and staggered to his feet. 

“Hello?” his call echoed.

It seemed to stretch forever until coming back around and hitting his ears from behind. It kept going, never fading out, coming back around-and-around again as the same shout.

Chase covered his ears at the jumbled noise of a thousand ‘hello’s, and fell to his knees. He felt a wetness, and pulled his hand back with a slick line of blood running down his fingers. He felt dizzy again, swaying. 

The echoes stopped.

Birds chirped as sunlight hit Chase’s face. He stood up, finding himself in a field of tall grass and wildflowers. There was a wisteria tree with honeybees and butterflies lazily making their way too and from its flowering branches. He was in awe at the sheer size of the wisteria, its purple plumes fanning out like one of the great waterfalls of the southern islands. It stretched into the sky as if trying to reach the sun, itself.

The sound of a flute drew Chase’s eyes to the black trunk of the beautiful titan, where a silk blanket had been laid. Sitting beside a pot of steaming tea and a discarded hunting bow, his father played a carved flute with a serene look on his face. 

“Dad?”

Dad looked up from his flute playing, and his surprise melted into a toothy smile. 

“Chase, I’ve been waiting to see you!” he said, “Come, share some tea with me and your mother.”

Tears sprang into Chase eyes. He covered his mouth when he realized who the other person sitting next to him was, and what she was holding in her arms.

“Mom?”

She rested her chin on Dad’s shoulder, the red robes she wore bringing out the sparkle in her dark eyes. She looked exactly like how Chase remembered before she grew sick, rosy-cheeked and with the gentlest smile. 

Uncovering the pink blanket from the baby’s face, she said, “Come, Tian has been looking for her big brother. Don’t you want to hold your little sister?”

“M-my-”

He heard the baby whine, and those few tears that gathered fell from his eyes. 

“Come now,” Dad said, chuckling a bit. “You didn’t think we’d start tea without you! Why the tears, my son?”

Chase rubbed at his eyes with his sleeve, feeling his face crumble as his chest tightened. 

“Because you aren’t real,” he said, backing away. “None of you are!”

“Don’t be silly, Chase,” said Dad, a sharpness tainting his smile. “Come, join us for tea! We are having your favorite, jasmine!”

“No,” Chase said, swallowing the urge to obey his father. He took another step back.

Dad rose to his feet, his face twisting into the hard glare Chase had grown used to for the past eight years. 

“Don’t you walk away from us!” he snarled, eyes flashing green.

Mom frowned, looking bored. Her eyes turned green, too. 

“Just kill him, Keyota,” she said, bouncing baby Tian. “The ungrateful, useless piece of filth doesn’t deserve our family. Doesn’t deserve those monk robes, either.”

Dad grabbed the bow and quiver that he had laid down beside the blanket, and notched an arrow. 

“No, Dad, don’t!” Chase cried, bracing himself. 

When the arrow loosed, a giant flash of red leapt in front of Chase. Chase heard a whipping in the air, and then the snap of the arrow as it splintered and fell into the grass. 

“Go, boy!” 

“Hannibal?!” 

The bean was larger than him, standing about as tall as Dad would have, but looked very much the same as he usually did, rotted teeth and all. They were even more disgusting this up-close, as he glared back at Chase with a nod. 

“Wuya has you trapped in a spell, son,” he said, with that strange drawl. “A particularly nasty one, too.”

“How are  _ you _ in this spell?!” Chase cried.  

Chase froze when Dad readied another arrow.

“I said, go!” yelled Hannibal, shoving him toward the treeline behind them. 

“If we’re in a spell,” said Chase, “where do I go?!”

“Anywhere but here!” Hannibal hollered, slapping another arrow out of the air. 

“Won’t they be able to follow me?!” Chase asked. 

“Stop asking questions, and  _ move _ !” the bean shouted. 

He lifted one of his tentacles and whipped it to the side. It straightened into a sharp-tipped rod. He growled and thrust it at Dad, the spiked vine pinning him to the tree. Dad dropped his bow and quiver before turning into ash. 

“Dad!” Chase cried. 

“That wasn’t your father!” yelled Hannibal. “You. Are. In. A. Spell! Now,  _ move _ ! That golem is not the only thing that can kill you!”

As Hannibal said this, Mom stood. She snatched up Dad’s bow, and notched an arrow. Chase heard the strings pull back with a twinge. He couldn’t help wanting to meet his mother’s eyes as he looked beyond Bean, to the tree. 

Though she stared directly at Chase, there was not a shred of emotion in her magic-green eyes. She loosed the arrow. Hannibal slapped it back to her, sending the arrow directly into her heart.  Mom fell to the ground, crumbling into ash as well. 

The baby disappeared as if it were never there, the pink blanket that she had been wrapped in flitting to the ground and covering a tiny mound of ash. 

Hannibal Bean shrank in size, leaping onto Chase’s shoulder. “Run! Now!”

Chase bolted for the forestline, and the earth shook. A groaning, like the creaking of a ship, filled the space around them. Chase knew that the wisteria was swaying. He could feel the rush of air it created hit his back like a steel rod. He began to panic, willing his legs to run faster as Hannibal yelled at him to do just that.

Chase cried out when one of the wisteria roots rose out of the ground, sending him and clumps of dirt flying. The tree came to life with a hissing cry, snarling like an animal. Chase was draped in the shadow of its massive root, and barely duck-and-rolled out of its way before the massive coil came crashing down. 

He scrambled, slipping on slick clay and damp grass, nearly falling into the crevice the root had left. Chase pulled himself up by clumps of grass and rock, and tripped into another run, limping for the forest as fast as he could.

He dove into the tight line of trees, his ankle barely being missed by the wisteria’s root. The wisteria let out a screech as its prey escaped, but the space was too narrow for it to follow him. Chase clawed at the dirt in his panic to get as far back as he could, catching his breath beneath a small oak at a safe distance. He watched the wisteria snarl and snap at him, the tip of its root licking the air in its search.

“We can’t stay here, son,” Hannibal warned, as they watched the root slowly retreat with a long hiss. “That tree _ will  _ find a way to get to us.”

“I don’t understand,” said Chase. “I was just fighting Wuya. What did she do to me?”

“This is a particularly cruel spell,” said Hannibal. “A tactic used by the Celestial gods to punish their enemies, thousands of years ago. It searches through your memories to find what you are most afraid of, and makes you relive them to torture you for the rest of your days, if you even somehow find a way to survive that long. This spell is designed for almost everything inside of it to be able to kill you.”

“But this isn’t a memory,” said Chase. “I’ve never seen that tree, and the last time I saw my mother was when she was pregnant with-”

He swallowed, not wanting to think about it. 

Hannibal pat his neck.

“I’m sorry, son, but we have to keep moving,” he said. “We won’t have long before this forest turns on us, too.”

“Ho do you know all of this?” Chase asked, standing. 

“Because I’m the one who designed this spell.”

“You what?!”

Chase tripped on a root and caught himself. He noticed that the knot of the tree’s trunk where his hand rested shifted like an eye to watch him. Chase snatched his hand back, disgusted, and wiped it on his shirt.

“Not my proudest moment,” said Hannibal, “not now, that  _ you’re _ stuck inside of it, but let’s just say that I used to be a very powerful figure during the Celestials’ prime, a Heylin Grand Master.”

Chase’s stomach churned as he listened, but it wasn’t with guilt. Biting his inner cheek to keep from smiling, Chase realized that he was speaking with an actual Grand Master of  _ magic _ . Did it matter which side that Grand Master was on?  _ Any _ knowledge from  _ any _ Grand Master was useful knowledge, as far as he was concerned. Despite knowing that listening to Hannibal Bean might be wrong in the eyes of the Council, Chase listened intently. 

“I was burdened with the glory of coming up with the majority of torture spells modern witches use, today,” Hannibal continued, eyeing Chase with a curious look. “This spell, in particular, is one that I had specifically designed to become like a personalized torture chamber for its victim. It penetrates your innermost thoughts and drags your deepest fears, kicking and screaming,  to the surface. It even seeks out those that you didn’t even know you’ve had. And when I say that anything can kill you in this spell, I  _ do _ mean  _ anything. _ Even this forest may spring to life and swallow us, like how your giant, purple friend tried to back there.”

“Brutal,” said Chase, looking over his shoulder to check for more danger.

Chase felt eyes on him, but saw none.  Shivering, he looked back to the little bean perched on his shoulder.

“Were you always…?” Chase pinched his thumb and forefinger together, squinting.

“No,” Hannibal clipped, his eyes darting around as if he had sensed danger, too. “Keep moving.”

“Did you know any of the Celestials?” Chase asked, keeping his eyes, and most of his focus, ahead. “ _ Personally _ , I mean.”

Hannibal chucked. “I know  _ all _ of them. Very well, might I add.”

“Know?”

“The first Xiaolin Dragons didn’t destroy the Celestials, as your legend claims,” said Hannibal. “They were locked away, but very much alive. Trapped in a spell, much like this one. Heylin legends say that there is a way for them to break it, but only through both Heylin  _ and _ Xiaolin magic.”

“Do you know how  _ we _ get out of  _ this _ spell?” Chase asked, turning his face to the darkening canopy. Bats raced each other overhead, and he wondered if they’d be chasing  _ him _ soon enough. 

“I designed it to be nearly inescapable,” said Hannibal, “but since I also don’t want to die, I can get us out of it. I left a strain of magic inside of all my spells, in the case that anyone tried to use them against me. And even though my magic is locked while I am in this.. _ form _ , I still can find a way out for us.”

“Okay, so what do we do?” Chase asked.

“We need to find the key,” said Hannibal, “and the only way for you to do  _ that _ is to reach the center of your fears.”

“I’d rather not do that.”

“No one would,” said Hannibal. “I’m glad it’s yours, instead of mine. But don’t worry, once we break  _ your _ spell, you will be able to step into the others’ nightmare realms and get them out with practically just the snap of your fingers. Consider it a jailbreak, and you hold the key to unlocking their cells.”

Chase raised an eyebrow. “ _ Really? _ ”

“Chase, why would I design a failsafe too hard for myself to break?” Hannibal drawled. “If you want to live a long life, you have to start thinking smarter. We don’t have the energy to waste on an unnecessary challenge.”

Chase whistled through his teeth. 

“You’re right about that,” he admitted, “but what happens when we get out of this spell? We still need to fight Wuya. She could just use  _ another _ spell to-”

Hannibal slapped a tentacle over Chase’s mouth, and shushed him. Something large moved in the trees ahead of them. Chase crouched down just as the long and twiggy leg of a gargantuan creature moved past them.

Chase looked up, watching its slender neck rise straight through the canopy, its head nothing but a long snout that curled into a knot, and a fan-like crest at the crown of its skull. The creature did not even appear to have eyes, though it swiveled its head above the treeline as if it were searching for something, huffing like an ox through the flute-like holes in its snout. 

Chase held his breath until it passed. 

“Watchers,” said Hannibal. “I haven’t seen one since the Celestials’ banishment.” 

“Please tell me that when you worked for the Heylin Masters, you didn’t create that thing too.” Chase whispered. 

“I worked  _ with _ ,” said Hannibal, “not  _ for _ . And, unfortunately, I did. We’re just lucky it’s not the carnivorous kind.“

“There’s more than  _ one _ ?” Chase hissed.

Hannibal sighed, shaking his head, and slapped a tentacle over his eyes. 

“It’s one of the several creatures that the Celestials cre- _had_ created by the most skilled sorcerers they knew, in order to keep their human servants in line,” he said. “ _That_ Watcher is the breed that will be able to warn Wuya that you’ve escaped her trap, using a form of telepathy.”

“Aren’t we in a spell that she’s controlling?” asked Chase. “Wouldn’t she know already?”

“She may have  _ cast _ the spell, but we’ve been sent to a realm-apart,” said Hannibal. “You’re stuck in your own, small pocket of reality. She’s likely to be off wiping out more villages, while you’re dodging certain death in here.” 

“What will Wuya do, if that thing alerts her?” hissed Chase. 

“She could collapse this realm into itself and kill us both, instantly,” Hannibal answered, gravely.

Chase swallowed his heart when it leapt into his throat. 

“We need to find the center of your fears, before that Watcher finds the tree you escaped from,” said Hannibal. “It’s a good thing that I know how to speed this up. I hope that you’ll forgive me for this, son.”

“What-”

Hannibal touched Chase’s forehead, and he blacked out. 

Chase awoke again, gasping as he rushed to his feet. It was black-as-pitch all around him, and Chase rubbed his eyes to make sure that he hadn’t gone blind. 

“Hannibal?” Chase called. 

No answer. Chase’s chest tightened, squeezing against his lungs hard enough to make panic set in.

“HANNIBAL!”

Chase began to cry, hopelessness draining the rest of his resolve. 

“Don’t leave me alone, like this!” he yelled into the black. “Tell me what to do!”

Only silence answered him. Chase tried to punch at something, maybe break a wall, but he only hit air. The force of his swing caused Chase to stagger forward.

He plummeted, as if from a great height. Wind rushed past him, and his stomach somersaulted as he was jostled around, but Chase could not see to where he was falling. He rushed through the air, faster and faster, and Chase braced himself for impact with a terrified scream.  

Everything stopped. Chase caught his breath. 

Reaching a shaky arm out, Chase’s fingers brushed dirt and pebbles. He slowly lifted his head, the scent of smoke catching his nose. 

The Xiaolin Temple lay in ruins before him. Standing just before where its giant, red doors used to be, were three poles with three bodies tied to them. 

“No, no, no!” Chase cried, scrambling back. 

But the more he tried to get away, the easier it was to see who the dead people were. They were only skeletons, but the discernable color of his friends’ robes draped them like rags. A raven pecked at the tiniest skull, the only part of her yellow robes left being the sleeves on her arms, which had slid down to the wrists without anything left to support them. 

The raven gave one last squawk before knocking the head off. The skull’s jaw shattered when it hit the ground, and the dome rolled to Chase’s feet. He kicked it away, jumping up. 

“What have I done?!” he breathed, scanning his wide gaze over the other two skeletons.

Guan’s orange sash was torn to mere threads, and the beads he had inherited from his father were missing, most likely scattered somewhere on the ground. Dashi, too, had his robes torn with hardly any recognition to them other than their color, as if the three skeletons had been hanging there for years.

“My friends,” Chase choked up, his heart pounding and his lungs tightening. “I was supposed to lead them! To help them!” 

He noticed that even more poles had been set up, hundreds of them covering the fields and all the way down to the forest. Chase covered his mouth when he saw skeletons of every size hanging from them- lesser warriors, masters, and maids. One very tiny skeleton even had its bony fingers wrapped around the tattered arm of a sewn doll, frozen there for the rest of time.

“This isn’t real,” he reminded himself. “This isn’t real!” 

A hundred voices hissed in the smoke, “All your fault…”

“Not smart enough to be a leader…”

“... Even with all of your gifts, you are not enough....”

“To be a prodigy is one thing, but to become a  _ Shoku Warrior _ ?”

“..Lofty ambition, for a  _ failure _ …”

“..Raw talent.. but his lack of conviction is rawer still...”

“You couldn’t even save your own father!”

Chase covered his ears. “STOP!”

He ran, but the voices followed him, laughing. 

“Not enough!”

“You are a joke!”

“Failure!”

“Disgrace!”

“Hypocrite!”

Chase ran past the charred ruins of the nearest village, past the rice paddies, and even further, beyond the mile-long stretches of wheatgrass that bordered the Three Hills. He kept running and running, but the voices kept on hissing, “Not a hero, not anything! Nothing, nothing, nothing!”

He fell onto a dirt road, collapsing into a sob.

“Failure..” a single voice hissed, taking shape with the spraying of sand. 

Chase realized, lifting his head, that the voices were that of his father. They had been, all along. 

The Xiaolin Master stared down at Chase, his amber eyes burning with harsh fire. Chase met them, sniffing back tears.

Dad’s robes were charred, that was the first thing Chase noticed. The second was the ugly, fresh burns on his neck and shoulder. A handprint was branded into the side of his face where Wuya had grabbed him, the black and red shape of a thumb pressing into his chin.

“Dad,” Chase guled, swallowing down the tears that had yet to fall.

“You are a failure,” Dad hissed, again. “I tried  _ so hard _ to train you to be better, to be the  _ best, _ yet time-and-time again you’ve failed me! Look at you! You’re pathetic!”

“Dad, I’m so sorry!” Chase told him,“I did try, I swear! I tried to save you!”

“You may be a prodigy, but you are unworthy of being called a Xiaolin Warrior,” said Dad, the scar on his lip twitching with a snarl. His eyes turned green. “You are unworthy of being my son.”

Chase bit the inside of his cheek, refusing to cry over a golem that was probably just about to kill him anyway, even if it did have his father’s face. Heat shot up his neck at the audacity of this spell making his father say such horrible things. 

“No, _ you _ are unworthy!” Chase told it, glaring the golem in its ugly, green eyes. “How  _ dare  _ you taint my Dad’s memory with so much trash?!”

He gave a harsh laugh, pulling himself up from the ground.

“Is this it?!” Chase screamed to the sky. “Is this really the best you can do, you stupid spell?! Are you just going to have my father  _ berate _ me?! You’ve never met the man; he’s said  _ far  _ worse to me  _ without _ needing to use words! I’m not impressed!”

“Oh  _ no _ , my son,” Dad purred out a beady hiss, similar to Wuya’s. “You’re about to experience far worse than this. Let’s dig a little... _ deeper _ .”

He snatched Chase close, by the top of his head, pressing his thumb between Chase’s eyes. There was a hiss of fire, and the smell of burning flesh. The pain seared so hot that Chase’s skin turned to nothing but  pure, cold pain. He tried to fight against crying out, clenching his teeth together with a groan as smoke rose from beneath his father’s fingers. 

Suddenly, Chase was somewhere else. He rushed to his feet, immediately crying out, “Hannibal?! Where are you?! Where’s the key?!”

The world slowly came to life around Chase, seeping down from above. Like wax dripping down a candle, trees, flowers, the sky, all of it melted together as everything around him tried to take shape. The spell breathed like a living thing, almost seeming confused in what it was trying to become, swirling around Chase as it gurgled like a river. 

Then, as birds began to sing and the blurry trees came into focus, black sand rose up from the void and took its form. Black became orange. Sand became flesh.

Guan stood in front of Chase, mirroring his movements when Chase reached up and rubbed at the spot where his father had burned him. The skin was smooth, and Chase had no pain, but he could still feel the indent of Dad’s thumb between his eyes. 

Chase brought his hand back down, and so did Guan. 

“Are you kidding me?” Chase scoffed.

Guan matched his skeptical smile. 

Chase turned his back, waving the golem-Guan off. “Whatever, man. This spell is a joke.”

Chase went flying, the wind knocked out of him. Chase caught himself and spun, kicking the golem-Guan in the head. Guan staggered back, holding his face. When golem-Guan pulled his hand away, one of his eyes was torn, cracks peeling out in every direction, exposing the black sand beneath his skin. 

Chase breathed hard, mostly out of anger, and growed, “Come on, then.”

Guan went for a jab. Chase slipped past, ducking under to slap his arm into the golem’s ribs like a steel rod. Guan didn’t even flinch. He spun away to force himself behind Chase. 

Chase turned to face the golem, his arms stretched and ready for another  _ Parting of the Horse’s Mane _ strike, if Guan were to throw a second jab at his head. Chase stood, his eyes lingering on the golem’s fists as Guan took a wide boxer’s stance. Chase smiled at how easily this thing could mimic Guan, but the slight unevenness of where it held its hands proved that the magic of it was only a cheap imitation. 

They stared each other down for a few seconds, the torn eye of the golem staring him down with beady hunger, before it came at Chase again. 

“You’re not as precise as Guan,” he said, dodging the golem’s punch with his hands tucked behind his back. 

Chase bent fluidly, avoiding a punch to his head, and smirked at the emotionlessness behind the golem’s red eye. 

“You almost make this too easy,” he said. “I wonder why the spell thought that  _ you _ were my biggest fear! It won’t be much of a challenge to get that key from you.”

Chase slipped in, near the golem’s ribs, and sent a powerful  _ Fa Jing _ strike to Guan’s side. The golem’s whole body shuddered, and Chase thought it would drop into a pile of black sand like the others, but the golem twisted and sent a lightning-fast strike to the side of Chase’s neck. 

Chase staggered back, gasping for air. He choked, holding his neck. The golem stood in a wide-spread stance, staring Chase down without changing his emotionless expression, watching as his opponent caught his breath. 

“What are you waiting for?” Chase rasped. 

The golem slid into the Warrior’s Stance, saying nothing. Chase stood straight, and mirrored the golem. Golem-Guan did not move. He silently stared at Chase from his position, unblinking. 

“What?” Chase snapped. “ _ I’m _ not making the first move, if that’s what you’re hoping f-WOAH!”

Chase ducked under Guan’s ridiculously fast punch, but the golem was too quick for Chase to keep up. Guan aimed a punch low, which Chase was unable to block. 

He wheezed, the air knocked out of him. Chase doubled over, but not even that stopped the golem. Guan jerked his knee up, and Chase felt a crack in his ribs. Chase crumpled into himself, lying on the ground as Guan stood over him with a devilish smirk on his face. 

Breathing was painful, laying down was painful, and Chase’s eyes watered from it. Nothing he did made the pain any less severe, but he held his hands to his ribs anyway. He looked up at Guan, hissing, “I’m not  _ afraid _ of you!”

The golem spoke almost tenderly, saying in a soft voice, “It’s not me that you’re afraid of, Chase. You  _ know _ why I am here.”

“I don’t,” said Chase. 

The golem bent low, brushing Chase’s hands away from his side. Its one, red eye peered down at him curiously, lifting Chase’s shirt to look at the bruise already starting to form, where the bone hand broken. 

“You’re afraid of an idea,” the golem said, pressing the flat of its palm to Chase’s skin, “that somebody else could be better than you.”

Chase bit down on a scream when the golem pressed down hard, cracking the rib the rest of the way. His whole body shook, and Chase gagged on the saliva that rushed up.

“Especially someone you care about,” Guan added, “Especially someone like Guan. He’s already a better  _ person _ than you… Imagine him as a better martial artist, too. You hate him, don’t you? For his potential?”

“Guan is my best friend,” Chase growled against the pain, against his anger. 

The golem stood up, almost looking like it pitied him. “I know he is.”

Golem-Guan held out his hand. Like tiles flipping over themselves, his skin began to change. The strange transformation made its way up the golem’s arm, pulling cloth over skin, and hair over his bald head. The torn eye became whole, but the red remained, even with a tinge of orange to it. 

Chase stared at himself. 

“Do you see yourself?” the golem hissed. “Do you like it?”

Chase struggled to sit up, but the pain was too much. He groaned, holding his side again. 

The golem gave a sharp laugh. “You really are pathetic!”

His golem-self gave Chase a leering grin. 

“You’re so sad, Chase,” it said. “No wonder Dad likes Guan more than you! No wonder  _ everybody _ does!”

Chase grunted when the golem kicked his stomach. The blow would have been much worse if his hands hadn’t already been there, but the golem didn’t seem to care about damage. It just kept kicking him, all the while mocking Chase with his own voice. 

“Some prodigy you are! It’s just one broken bone! Get up and defend yourself!”

Chase spit blood onto the floor, shaking with adrenaline.

“That’s right,” said the golem. “Just lay there and die, like the weakling you are. You don’t  _ deserve _ to be the best.”

“So what,” said Chase. “I’ll  _ make _ myself deserve it!”

He thrust his leg out, jabbing the golem in the ankle. Golem-Chase hissed and leapt away from Chase’s strike. Chase held his side as he staggered to stand up. The golem-Chase smiled at him with a slight tilt of its head. 

“You’ll make yourself deserve it?” it echoed Chase’s voice, like a sharp knife digging into his ears. “Oh, please! You’ll  _ never _ deserve it! No matter how hard you work, or how high you climb, you’ll never be what they all expect you to be. You know they all hate you, anyway. They see right through you.  _ This  _ cowardly, curled up state is what you really are inside, and you know it! Even if you  _ do _ pretend to be perfect, on the outside.”

“Shut up,” Chase snapped. “You’re just a spell. You don’t know anything!”

“It all comes down to one simple fact,” said the golem, slowly advancing. “You aren’t normal. Even with all of your talent and charm, they all sense something off about you. That’s why they never get too close. That’s why they only train you, and never praise you. You may be a prodigy, you may be  _ valuable _ to them, but you aren’t one of them. Your father -and not even your friends- can relate, so none of them will  _ ever _ love you in the way you want them to. They can’t see you as anything more than a tool for the Xiaolin side.”

The golem’s words were like a punch to the throat, and it tightened with swelling emotions, prickling as painfully as his broken rib. 

Chase said, “I don’t care.”

“Then, why are you so afraid to admit it?” asked the golem, viciously grinning. 

Chase swallowed his feelings again, blinking back tears. He shook his head. “I  _ can’t  _ care.”

“It’s ugly, isn’t it?” asked the golem, its mouth splitting from ear to ear. Its teeth became needles. “Looking at yourself, at your flaws. It’s no wonder they all despise you.”

“You’re wrong,” Chase snapped. “They do care about me-”

He gasped, pain rippling up his side. The rib that the golem of Guan detached, began to slide, or so it felt like. Chase fell to his knees, trying not to vomit. 

Chase breathed slowly through the pain, remembering Hannibal’s instructions.

Face his fears, find the key. 

“Maybe I’m not afraid to admit it,” he said.

The golem’s face twisted into a grimace, its eyes turning green. “You  _ what _ ?”

Chase sat up as straight as he could, before the pain became too much. His breathing became ragged. He wasn’t sure if he’d be able to hold out much longer before passing out, already feeling his head grow fuzzy. 

“Yes, I’m different,” he said, wheezing between breaths, “but I’m working hard for what I want. Natural talent or not, I  _ deserve _ to be praised for it! I  _ deserve _ to lean on the people I care about! I  _ deserve _ to be happy!”

“What if you never are?” asked the golem-Chase. “What if they never give you what you deserve?”

“I’ll rely on myself,” said Chase. “I’ll improve for myself, I’ll live for my own praise, too.”

The golem’s face became animalistic in its rage. 

“You’ll fail!” It screamed. “You. Will. Be. NOTHING!”

“I was never nothing,” said Chase. 

The golem howled with anger, and Chase let it charge him. When the golem slammed into him, it exploded into light. The world around Chase washed away into white, and he heard the clang of metal fall in front of him. 

“I never will be nothing,” Chase said, smiling as he nudged the little key lying in front of his knees. 

‘ _ This isn’t over _ ,’ hissed his own voice, swirling above Chase like a vapor. ‘ _ I am always with you. _ ’

Chase bent hesitantly, holding his ribs, to swipe the key from the ground. It was not even as long as his pinky, and was plain to look at, but when he turned it over in his hand, a powerful shudder ran through him. He felt a cooling sensation on his broken rib, and the pain disappeared. 

Chase slowly rose to his feet, testing it out. Yes, there was no more pain. Chase stretched slowly. He couldn’t feel the detached rib, so he poked a little at where it was supposed to be. It was there! Chase really  _ had _ been healed! 

“ _ Magic! _ ” he whispered, with wonder. 

A door appeared in front of Chase, and his eyes widened further. His amazement spread out into a smile. He went to turn the key.

Chase nearly jumped out of his skin, when he heard, “So, you finally did it, son. You faced your deepest fears.”

“Yeah, without your help,” Chase scoffed. “Were you here this whole time?”

Hannibal Bean hopped up next to him, and they faced the door together. 

“I’d already said that I hope you’ll forgive me,” said the little bean, solemnly, “but it had to be done. I hope it wasn’t all  _ too _ traumatizing, for you.”

“Naaah,” said Chase, ignoring the flip in his stomach. 

He looked to the door, swallowing his nerves. “Is Guan behind that?”

“Only one way to find out,” said the bean, shrugging. “Now, remember what I told you-”

“-With this key, we can break Guan and Dashi out of their prisons, without much of a problem.”

“There’s just one more thing that I had forgotten to mention,” said Hannibal, nodding. “Once you step inside of their nightmare-realms, You will only have fifteen minutes to get them out, or you  _ and _ the boy you are trying to rescue will be trapped inside of that spell, fighting for your lives, forever.”

“Oh,” said Chase. 

He looked at the door, staring down at the key. “You said it would be easy.”

“It  _ is _ easy,” said Hannibal, “so long as your friends aren’t too petrified or injured by their nightmares to willingly follow you out, during that window of time. My overriding magic can only stretch so far, especially since I don’t have any  _ current _ access to it, in order to extend what little time we  _ do _ have.”

“Hope that luck is on our side, then,” said Chase. “But, if I know Guan, he’s  _ definitely _ not going down without a fight. He’ll be ready for us.”

* * *

Guan tossed another one of the witch’s creatures off of his back. It squealed, falling into the black flames beside him. Three more ran at Guan, screeching. He punched one, but was tackled by the other two. They dug their claws into him, the one on his back sinking its fangs into his shoulder. 

Guan slammed himself into the building to shake it off, but the thing only snarled and bit harder. Its comrade did the same, puncturing Guan’s arm as it tried to drag him to the ground. Its bat-like, hairless face was covered with foam as it frothed at the mouth.

Guan kicked it, sending the ape-sized creature flying into one of the burning homes. The one on his back bit down even harder, making Guan feel dizzy. He collapsed, weakly clawing at the thing as it giggled like a child and clapped its hands. 

“Such a strong little boy,” said a deep, feminine voice. “You don’t even cry for your mother.”

Guan looked up to meet the white eyes of the witch. Her red hair was pulled back into three sections, too thick to stay tame in a proper braid, and her tattered robes were stained red with the blood of his fellow villagers. She raised a hand full of black flames. The last time he had seen her face, Guan was still a small child.  

“Tell me, little warrior,” she said, following the script of his memory, “do you know where I can find the village priest?”

Guan gasped for air, clutching the wound on his neck, the dizziness getting worse by the second. He reached out a shaking, bloody hand, his fingers growing cold. 

The witch sighed, almost looking a bit conflicted as she shook her head.

“That’s a shame,” she said, raising her arm to be level with his face.

The emotions in her eyes shifted, and the witch blinked. She paused for a moment, her smile faltering with confusion. 

Guan realized that this was no longer the memory of his lost home playing out, when she said, “Oh.. it’s  _ you. _ You’re older, now.”  

The witch bent to her knees, rocking on her heels to reach Guan’s eye-level. She lifted his chin with her finger. 

“You remember me, don’t you?” she asked. “Of course, you do. That’s why I’m here.”

The witch hissed through her teeth, turning his head gently to the side, inspecting his wounds with a thoughtful narrowing of her eyes. 

“Nasty bites,” she said, a tad playful. “I can’t believe those disgusting little gremlins could  _ do _ so much damage on such broad muscles.”

“You..destroyed..my...village,” Guan choked. “ _ This _ village.”

“Yes I did,” she said, patting the top of his head. “Now I’m going to have to finish the job and kill you, like I was supposed to have done all those years ago. I should have known such a brave little one would grow up to be a Xiaolin Monk. Pity, you used to have the sweetest face.”

She looked almost sad, and Guan felt his blood rush at the mere idea of it. How could a monster like her feel _ anything _ ?

“Before..you kill..me,” Guan struggled to speak, feeling his body turn cold. Blood dripped down his chin. “why..am I reli- reliving..this memory?” 

“It’s what you’re most afraid of,” she said. “ _ I’m _ what you’re most afraid of… Apparently.”

Guan swallowed, tasting blood. 

“No,” he said, but was too weak to say much else. 

“Whether it’s true or not,” said the witch, “fear has many layers. You’re actually _ lucky  _ to be dying this quickly. Now, hold still. I’m not as fond of screaming, as Wuya is. I promise, I’ll make it quick.”

She grabbed Guan’s throat, pressing her fingers into the wound. Guan grunted, trying not to give her the satisfaction of seeing him in pain. 

The witch with the white eyes gave him an almost sympathetic look, murmuring thoughtfully, “You aren’t meant to survive this spell, you know. It looks like you’ve suffered enough inside of it, already. Making your last breath painless is the only parting gift that I can give you. You may not realize it, but meeting you…”

She smiled a little. 

“Meeting  _ you _ ,” she repeated, then swallowed the rest of the sentence, blinking it back with a strange expression. 

“Thank you,” she said. “It was nice, seeing you all grown up. Goodbye, little warrior.”

The witch’s eyes widened, her hand hanging limply between Guan’s neck and shoulder. Guan’s blood chilled to pure ice, when he saw the spike sticking out of her forehead. The witch and her creatures turned into black sand all around him. 

Chase stood in front of Guan, a bean-like creature smiling gruesomely on his shoulder. He held his hand up, and the bean slapped Chase’s palm with one if its tentacles. 

“Hey, Guan,” said Chase, “miss me?”

Guan smiled. “Chase! H-how?”

“How am  _ I _ in your nightmare?” Chase asked. “I got some help.”

He rushed over, shedding his shirt. Chase balled it up and pressed it to Guan’s neck. 

“That wasn’t Wuya, was it?” he asked.

Guan shook his head, feeling weak again. His eyes lingered on the black pile of sand that was once the white-eyed monster of his childhood nightmares. 

“Hannibal,” said Chase, to the strange creature, “can we heal Guan, somehow?”

“He should be fine, once we get y’all out of this realm,” it said with the strangest accent Guan had ever heard, even stranger than Tala’s. “This reality only stretches so far as your minds’ abilities to think up ways of killing you. You  _ can _ die inside of the spell, but the non-fatal wounds sustained here will only be that of the mental kind. The memories of your near-death will never be able to leave you, no matter how hard you will try to forget them.” 

“Hear that, buddy? We’re ‘scarred’ for life,” Chase joked. “Too bad you can’t keep these ones, though. They’d look pretty cool.”

“I hate magic,” Guan grumbled, still glaring at the mound of sand. 

Chase’s smile faltered, and he stopped dabbing at the bite wounds. He looked lost. Guan wondered what Chase had seen inside this horrible world, who he had to relive losing. His stomach tightened. Guan wanted to reach out and touch Chase, but settled for gently calling his name, instead. 

Chase blinked away the faraway stare, looking a bit as if he might cry. 

“I’m sorry, Guan,” he said, “I should have gotten to you sooner. But hey, at least they didn’t get your face! You’re ugly enough, already!”

Guan sighed, not sure if he should feel disappointed or relieved. At least he could still make jokes.

Guan clasped Chase’s offered hand, and let Chase pull him to his feet. 

“We have to go, immediately,” warned Hannibal, its tentacles writhing unnaturally. “Have your friend make us a door out.”

“How?” asked Guan. 

His stomach flipped when Chase gently took his hand and dropped a tiny object into it.

“You just have to think about finding Dashi,” he said, smiling up at Guan. “The key will do the rest.”

Guan felt a little distracted by the soft look in Chase’s eyes, but he did his best to focus. They held their hands out together, Chase’s over Guan’s as Guan held the key in his closed fist, and a door made out of light appeared. 

Guan gasped, feeling the skin on his neck stitch itself back together, a sensation like ice refreshing him. He touched the still tingling spot, feeling the unbroken skin, and realized that Chase was staring up at him with a small, if not proud, smile. Guan tried his best not to blush, looking away and awkwardly scratching away the rest of the cold feeling. 

His arm had also been healed, the ice running along it making his whole hand tingle. Chase squeezed his hand, when Guan’s fingers involuntarily twitched. 

“Your last friend may be a bit harder to rescue,” warned the bean creature, as Guan and Chase stepped through the doorway, hand-in-hand. 

“Why is that?” asked Guan, as Dashi’s world folded in around them, like paper. 

The Xiaolin Temple stood in all of its glory, its red roofs rising higher than Guan remembered. Children chased each other, laughing as they passed by Chase and Guan. Maids looked up at them, and waved happily. The weather was mild, and everything was green. The trees even flourished with exotic fruits that Guan had never seen before. This world seemed to be heaven, not a nightmare! 

His eyes and mouth were open wide as he took it all in, distracted enough to barely catch the bean’s words: “This is a fear that Dashi does not realize he has.”


	30. Chapter 30

Thirty_ All In Your Head 

Dashi paced back and forth, a eunuch at his heels. 

“Grand Master Dashi, please!” the eunuch’s airy voice whined, quite like a child’s, “You  _ must _ review these documents! We need be sure that the festival-” 

Dashi spun on him, glaring at the eunuch. “I already told you that I don’t have time! I’m meeting with the Emperor this afternoon, and it’s all on me to convince him not to go to war with-”

“Grand Master Dashi,” another eunuch cried, popping seemingly out of nowhere, “there has been a report from the South. General Li requests that you-”

“ _ No _ .”

“But-”

“I already told him that we’ve spared too many warriors alr-”

“Grand Master Dashi!” a third eunuch appeared, “urgent news!”

“No,  _ noo, _ ” Dashi groaned, “What now?!”

This eunuch became hesitant. He bowed deeply, saying, “Masters Chase and Guan have arrived. They request and audience with-”

“Thank heaven!” Dashi cried, throwing his hands to the sky. “Let them in!” 

The hanging mirror on the wall caught Dashi’s attention. Something strange appeared on his face. Coming closer, he noticed a spot of ink below his eye. He lifted the tip of his sleeve and brushed it off… except it just got bigger, smudging all over his cheek.

Dashi grumbled, and rubbed again. It got even worse, streaking all the way down to his chin. Dashi growled, trying his best not to scream out loud. 

“Hey, Dash!”

Dashi perked up instantly, hearing Chase’s voice. He turned, smiling at Chase and Guan. 

“Guys!” he cried. “Man, you would not believe the day I’ve been having!”

Guan looked to the ground, quiet as usual, but a tad more forlorn. Chase also looked away, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck.

“You wouldn't believe ours, either,” he said. 

Dashi pulled back his excitement. “Are you two okay?”

“We need to get you out of here,” Chase told him. 

“Quickly,” Guan affirmed, with a nod.

“Guys, you know I can’t,” said Dashi, “I have my responsibilities, here. I’m not free to travel the world, like you are. Not anymore.”

“Dashi, you can leave with us!” said Chase. “Just step down from there, and-”

“No, I  _ can’t _ ,” Dashi snapped. “You’re always like this! I can’t just do  _ whatever  _ I want,  Chase! I have to do what’s best for everyone else. It’s my job. It’s no wonder I’m Grand Master, instead of you! You can’t just- you know what, forget it. I have work to do.”

Chase looked a little hurt, and Guan looked sad, but neither of them moved, not even when Dashi turned his back on them. Dashi caught his face in the mirror, again. The black spot had grown, covering nearly half of his whole face, even spreading to his ear. 

Dashi rushed over to the mirror, pulling at the lower lid of his eye. There was still pink inside, but the white of his eye was beginning to grow black veins, reaching for his iris. 

“Dashi,” Chase’s voice felt far away, reaching for him curiously, “we have to go.”

The ink spread across Dashi’s nose, making a trail to his other eye. Dashi blinked hard, trying to rub it away, but when he looked again, the ink had already taken over the entire eye, making it completely black. 

Dashi stumbled back with a cry, knocking over the torch bowl. The tapestry next to it caught on fire. Dashi scrambled away from it, then screamed when he realized that the ink was spreading over his hands, too. 

“Dashi!” Chase and Guan cried, together. 

They raced up the Jade Circle’s steps. Guan helped Dashi back up, and Chase stamped out the still-small fire. Chase turned to him, breathing hard.

“Take a deep breath,” he said. “Whatever’s happening isn’t real, Dash.”

“What are you talking about?!” Dashi cried, his chest tightening with panic. “Of course it’s real! Can’t you see it?!”

Dashi rolled up his sleeves to get a better look at his arms. He rubbed his hands together, making the ink smear into the lines of his palms. 

“We’re in a spell, Dashi,” Guan assured him, but Dashi was more concerned with the black stuff now pooling out of the crevices in his palms. It bubbled out of them, and streaked down his wrists.

Dashi shook his head and began to scrub at his hands, rubbing it onto his white Grand Master’s robes,  _ anything _ to get the ink somewhere other than his skin, but the ink did not stain anything but his hands. 

“I’m changing!” he cried. Dashi scrubbed so hard that he could feel his skin sting with rawness, but the black just kept on spreading.  

“You need to  _ trust _ us,” said Chase. “We don’t have much time. You’re not changing, you’re-”

“I wasn’t  _ supposed _ to change!” Dashi cried, now scratching at his skin. 

He tried desperately to keep the ink from going anywhere else, but the scratching just made it worse and worse. The ink snaked its way past his elbows. Dashi ripped off his robes, and even his underclothes, trying to claw at his neck.

“It won’t stop, it won’t stop!” he cried, actually feeling the ink crawl up his body. “I have to get it off! I can’t change!”

“Dashi, don’t!” Chase shouted, trying to pull Dashi’s hands away from his skin. 

Dashi slapped his hands away, and started to scratch at his cheeks, rubbing them raw. His tears made his skin sting. 

Guan lunged for him before Dashi could claw out his own eyes, pinning him to the ground. 

“Dashi, please!” said Guan, grunting as he struggled to keep Dashi from thrashing out of his grip. “You must make us a doorway out. We need to return home!”

“I can’t!” Dashi cried, “I can’t change! I don’t want to change!”

* * *

“It’s the spell!” Chase hissed. “It’s got some sort of power over him!”

“I told you this one would be harder to break,” said Hannibal. 

“I wish we could see what Dashi is seeing,” said Guan.

Dashi tried to pull his arms free, muttering, “Changing, can’t change, no-”

“What do we do?” asked Chase. 

“With subconscious fears like these,” said Hannibal, “this entrapment spell acts even more crulley, putting people like your unfortunate friend into a psychosis. He doesn’t have a physical enemy to fight, like the two of you did, so the spell has to compensate, and give your friend a more creative punishment than just battling his demons. You’ll need to convince him that what he is experiencing is not the truth.”

Chase kneeled down, his hand hovering over Dashi’s head. Dashi was physically shaking, his face pressed to the polished floor. He lightly placed his hand on the back of Dashi’s head. Dashi stilled.

He was quiet for a few moments before he began to mutter, again. “No, no no, can’t change. Can’t-can’t do it, I won’t change! I won’t change! Won’t do it, no-”

“Dashi,”

“Can’t, can’t-”

“Dashi,” Chase tried again, “tell me what you see.”

“No, can’t-”

“Dashi! Snap out of it!” said Chase. “We can’t help you if you, don’t tell us what’s wrong!”

“You don’t see it?!” Dashi cried, jerking his head up. 

Chase almost stumbled back out of surprise. Dashi was bug-eyed, his face flushed, and parts of his skin raw from scratching so hard. Chase swallowed down his surprise, and took Dashi’s face in his hands. 

“It’s. Not. Real.” he said. “Take a deep breath. Say it with me: It’s. not. Real.”

Dashi shook Chase’s hands off of his face, shaking his head fast. “No, no, no, no, It’s real! Can’t you see it?!”

“We can,” said Guan.

Chase glared at him, ready to snap, but the look in Guan’s eyes made him stop. Realizing what Guan was doing, he stayed quiet. 

“Chase is right,” said Guan, slowly and quietly. “You need to breathe. It will help you to control..”

Guan looked up at Chase, faltering a little.

“To control what  _ we’re _ seeing,” Chase jumped in.  

Hannibal nodded with a small grunt of approval.

“Get him to tell you what he sees,” he whispered into Chase’s ear. 

Guan’s narrowed eyes were on the bean as he said this to Chase, and Chase smiled a little at Guan. Guan looked back down at Dashi, quickly. 

Dashi took a shaky breath.

“Good,” said Chase, patting Dashi’s back. “One more time. Do it slowly.”

“G-get off,” said Dashi. “I can’t breathe!”

Guan moved away, but ket his hands hovered a little over Dashi, looking a bit worried that he might try to scratch at himself, again. 

Chase couldn’t blame him. He also felt himself tense at the possibility, especially since Dashi’s buggy eyes hadn’t changed. 

Dashi slowly sat up, then looked at his hands.

“They’re still black!” he said, his voice pinching panic. 

Chase scrunched up his nose, mouthing, ‘Black?’

Guan shrugged, then told Dashi, “Breathe.” 

Dashi looked at Guan, and began to tremble again. “Y-you see it, don’t you?”

“Yes,” said Guan. “Breathe.”

“It should go away,” Chase insisted. “We are both right here, Dashi. You don’t need to worry about changing in front of us.”

“We will not let it happen,” added Guan, smiling. 

“I didn’t want it, you know,” said Dashi. “I’m not really that cut out to be- I mean, I  _ really _ hate studying! How did I ever become a Grand Master? You guys know me! I’d rather be going on adventures, discovering things, not- and now, I.. and I told  _ you _ that you weren’t worthy of being the Grand Master- Oh man, I really  _ am _ changing!”

A flash of heat shot up Chase’s back, remembering his golem-self’s words to him before he got the spellkey from it. Even in his  _ friend’s _ stupid nightmare, Chase couldn’t shake his fears. He bit down on the inside of his cheek.

“Hey, hey, relax,” said Chase. “You were just upset. Take a deep breath, and focus.”

Dashi nodded, curling his fingers in. 

“ _ Time _ , boy,” hissed Hannibal into Chase’s ear, earning another suspicious look from Guan. 

“Dashi,” said Guan, quickly turning away when Chase looked at him, “breathe with me, and remember who you are. You are Dashi, our friend, the one who loves adventure-”

“-Who skips class-” added Chase.

“-Who is excellent at making new friends-”

“-While skipping class-”

Guan shot him a look. 

Chase grinned, but decided to keep his mouth shut.

“While it’s true that you don’t take our studies as seriously as Chase and I do,” said Guan, “there are many excellent qualities that make you who you are. You are funny, and kind, easy-going, and..”

He looked to Chase, again. 

Chase sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“You know that no position you could potentially gain will  _ make _ you change,” he said, “not unless you let it. Besides, come on, Dashi. Did you really think you’d become a Grand Master before  _ me _ ?”

“Chase, that’s not helping,” said Guan. 

“You say that- I mean, _we_ _see_ that your hands are black,” said Chase, hesitantly, “so, try closing your eyes, okay? Try to calm down.”

“Chase,” snapped Guan, “why would you say that?”

“No, he’s right,” said Dashi. “He’s a jerk, but he’s right. I need to calm down.”

Dashi squeezed his eyes shut. His ragged breathing began to slow down, and he took a deep breath. 

“You’re not changing,” said Guan, slowly. “You’re still Dashi.”

“I’m still Dashi,” Dashi echoed, nodding his head again. 

* * *

Dashi opened his eyes. The ink on his hands began to fade away. It only seemed to stain now, like regular ink, with the black really only showing up in the crevices of his skin. Dashi curled and uncurled his hands. More of it disappeared with each clench, until he couldn’t see any ink at all. 

Dashi released the breath he was holding. He said, “I’m still Dashi.”

“Are you okay?” asked Chase. 

Dashi wiped the tears from his eye with the flat of his palm, pulling away drops of ink, and nodded. 

“I need to look in a mirror,” he said. 

Guan let Dashi go, and Chase helped him to stand. Dashi went to the hanging mirror, and peered closely at his face. Most of the ink was gone, still sliding down his face as if he had splashed it with water. Dark streaks poured out of his eyes. Dashi wiped it away, sighing with relief when the ink came off. 

“Do you think he’s okay?” Dashi heard Chase whisper. 

“It’s hard to tell,” said a strange voice. “Your friend seems fine, but this might not be over.”

Dashi’s stomach dropped, realizing that he had scratches all over his face and arms. A particularly bad one left lines from his chin, all the way down his neck. 

“Hey, Dashi,” said Chase.

Dashi dragged both palms over his cheeks one last time, to be clear of the ink, before answering him. “I’m fine.”

“What had you so worked up about changing?” asked Chase. “That wasn’t like you at all.”

“Dude, there was ink literally crawling over my body, and turning me into something else,” Dashi snapped. “ _ Of course _ I was freaking out about changing!”

He shivered, the memory of the ink sliding past his elbows still fresh on his skin. He wanted to scratch at it. Dashi held back, not sure if he would be able to control himself, once he started to again. 

“...Yeah, okay,” said Chase, seeming a little unsure. 

His eyes darted to Dashi’s trembling hands, and must have noticed Dashi’s arm twitch, by the way Chase’s shoulders tensed. 

Dashi rubbed the back of his head, sheepishly looking to the floor. Ink or not, Dashi realized, he really  _ was _ changing. 

“Sorry,” he said. “I have no idea what’s gotten over me. I’m not usually this much of a jerk.”

Chase shook his head. “It’s the spell, Dash. Something inside of you is terrified of… whatever just happened. What were you going through, before we showed up?”

“I,”

Dashi paused, realizing that the room, once full of eunuchs, was now empty. It was only the three monks, and that weird thing sitting on Chase’s shoulder, standing inside the Council room. 

He backed up a step, his stomach dropping with dread. 

“Dashi?” asked Guan.

“We need to get out of here,” Dashi told them, meeting Chase’s eyes. 

Chase’s eyes widened, but they weren’t looking at Dashi. 

“Did you hear that?” he asked.

A growl filled the room. 

It was a slow and deep rumble, the kind you feel more than hear.  

Dashi turned to see a hundred pairs of eyes staring at him from behind the Grand Master’s sitting mat. A creature slowly pulled its head out from the shadows. 

A massive monster stared him down with many eyes, each one blinking on its own. The long neck of the beast rippled with the indigo and gold hems of eunuch robes, as it gave a slow hiss. Dashi realized where all the eunuchs had gone, when his eyes wanted to the top of the creature’s sagging head, to see the Chief Eunuch’s hat perched atop a knot of sleeves.

Dashi slowly took a step back, but once his foot hit the stairs, the creature shrieked and lunged.

* * *

Chase was knocked down by something invisible. Guan could feel its tail slap his chest as it made a hard turn, taking him down. He scrambled to his feet to watch Dashi duck, jump, then roll onto the floor. 

“What’s happening?!” Chase cired.

“Your friend is fighting another fear!” said Hannibal, swinging around on a few strands of Chase’s hair as he tried to hold on. “We can’t see it, but it will certainly be able to kill us!”

Guan growled, rolling his eyes. “ _ Magic _ .”

He looked around for anything to throw at the beast, so that he would be able to see some form of it. 

“We are running out of time!” warned the bean. “Your friend needs to make a door out for us in seven minutes, or we are all trapped in this spell!”

“Dashi, what are you afraid of?!” Chase shouted above the roars of the invisible monster. “Let us help you!”

“I don’t know!” Dashi cried, before being knocked into a wall. 

He was slammed so hard against it that the wall cracked against his back. 

“Yes you do, Dashi,” said Guan. “Please, tell us!”

Dashi staggered to his feet, only to be slammed against the wall again. He clawed at his neck, gasping. 

The tapestry fell from the wall, and Guan dived for it, yelling, “Chase, help me!”

Chase snatched up the other end, and they draped it over the space in front of Dashi. The creature shrieked. A large, wriggling mound thrashed under the heavy tapestry, but Dashi was still trapped at the wall. His face was turning purple. 

Guan looked to Chase, who looked back at him with the same wide and helpless eyes as him. Chase turned, then made a mad dash for the other torchbowl that was left untouched. 

“Guan,” he said, “help me throw this over the tapestry!”

Guan and Chase yanked the bowl from its stand. Guan gritted his teeth, ignoring the heat of the stone bowl against his palms, and together they poured the flaming coals onto the tapestry. The invisible beast howled. The tapestry flailed wildiy, and Dashi dropped to the floor. 

Guan pulled Dashi to his feet just as bits of the wall above their heads crumbled from some sort of impact. They rolled out of the way, and Guan felt the air whip around him from a near-hit by the invisible creature. 

“Dashi, what is it?” Guan asked. 

Chase held the tourchbowl’s metal stand like a weapon, hitting at the tapestry as whatever the monster was roared at him. Guan heard its teeth snap, and Chase struggle in a tug-of-war with it. 

Dashi shook in Guan’s arms, watching with wide eyes. 

“Dashi, you need to tell us what you’re afraid of,” Guan told him. “It’s not just affecting you, anymore. Let us help you!”

“I said I  _ don’t know _ ,” Dashi snapped, breaking out of his fearful expression for a moment. 

“You might not realize it, but you do,” said Guan. “What does it look like?”

“It’s made out of the eunuchs’ robes,” said Dashi. His eyes were following the creature. “They were all bothering me with their problems, before you guys showed up.”

Chase yelled with anger, as the tourchbowl stand was ripped out of his hands and tossed away. He fell to the ground, covering his face with his arms.

“Chase!” Guan cried, running over to help. 

Guan picked up the torch stand and started to hit at the tapestry, as Chase scrambled to his feet, grinning past the blood running down his nose.

“Now,  _ this _ is a challenge!” he cried, lunging for the tapestry. “Maybe he  _ shouldn’t _ tell us!”

“Chase, don’t,” Guan warned, bringing the stand down onto the tapestry with a satisfying crunch. 

The monster howled and snarled. Guan could feel it coming and narrowly missed its teeth, hearing them snap against each other inches from his face. The monster roared again, when Chase latched onto it, climbing to the top of the tapestry. 

The creature didn’t seem to have the ability to reach Chase, snapping and snarling as he held onto the tapestry with an elated smile. The tapestry spun around, nearly slapping Guan in the face, as the monster tried to thrash Chase off of it. Guan grabbed onto the edge of the tapestry and swung himself up.

“Dashi, where is its head?” Guan called.

Dashi smiled, realizing what Guan was planning. He ran to their front, waving his arms, shouting. “Here, here!”

Guan fell forward, and Chase grabbed his arm, when the tapestry lurched forward. He nearly gagged at the smell of burnt yarn, grunting as he tried to hold on to both the tapestry and the torch shaft. 

The invisible monster roared again, and Guan realized that it wasn’t just roaring, but calling Dashi’s name, calling him “Gand Master.”

“Dashi, where is its head?!” he called again, pressing himself to the beast’s back as it made a sharp turn, chasing Dashi.

“You’re sliding down its neck!” Dashi hollered back, ducking at what Guan assumed was either an arm or a tail, when the wall behind Dashi cracked. 

Dashi hid behind a pillar, and the top of the pillar was sliced clean off. He was forced to run, avoiding the broken half as it fell and shattered to the floor. 

“Break its neck!” Dashi yelled, ducking another blow. “Hurry, before it gets bored of me!”

Guan slammed the crown of the torchstand down onto the space in front of him. The monster screamed, but it did not slow down. Dashi jumped, and Guan heard the wet snapping of jaws, and a hiss, “ _ Dasssshhhiii. _ ”

“I do not think it can get bored of you,” said Guan, realizing that the iron pikes of the stand were curled backward, with sinking dread. 

“Dashi, what is this thing?!” Chase shouted. “It’s acting  _ pretty _ invincible!”

“It’s the eunuchs!” said Dashi, hiding behind another pillar. “They kept asking me all of these questions, and giving me requests, then they disappeared when you guys showed up!”

“So they turned into an invisible monster?!” Chase shouted back, over the enraged roar of the beast. 

“ _ Grand Masterrrr! _ ”

“As a subconscious fear, it can only be defeated once your friend names it!” said Hannibal.

“ _ Now, _ you tell us?!” cried Chase. “Dashi, You need to tell us what this monster thing means!”

“I already told you,” said Dashi, “I don’t know!”

The creature hissed, long and slow, as it circled the pillar, “ _ Graaand Masssster Dashiiiii _ .”

Dashi shrunk back, squeezing himself between the pillar and the wall. 

“Figure it out, quick!” said Chase. “We’re running out of time!”

Guan felt his body pull forward as the beast lowered its head toward Dashi. 

“Guan,” said Chase, nodding to the torch stand, “give me the other side of that thing. I have an idea.”

Guan nodded. They each held an end of it, as the monster hissed again.  

“Guys, whatever you’re planning, do it quickly!” Dashi told them, his voice slowly rising into panic.

“We have to wait until it brings its head back up again,” said Chase, “but on my signal, we have to try to get this into its mouth, so that Dashi can escape.” 

Guan waited until the hiss sounded close enough to his reach.

“Now!” Chase shouted, and both pulled the bars of the torch stand into the monster’s mouth. 

Guan and Chase yanked up when they heard the metal clang of its teeth biting down onto the bars. Dashi ran again, spinning around to face the monster once he got into an open space.

“Okay, Dashi, we bought you some time,” said Chase, grunting as he and Guan struggled to keep the monster from throwing them off. “Now, figure out what your fear is, so we can kill it and go home!”

“It is saying your name, Dashi,” said Guan, through clenched teeth, “It is calling you a Grand Master! It must have something to do with rank, something you might not want to admit!”

“That’s not-” Dashi looked panicked, shaking his head. “I can’t say! I don’t want you guys to know!”

“We will not judge you, Dashi, please!” Guan begged. He could feel his grip on the torch stand slide, as the monster began to thrash even more wildly.

“Just tell us, you big baby!” Chase shouted. “I don’t want to be trapped in your nightmares forever!”

“If you do not tell us,” added Guan, yanking up again, trying to tighten his grip, “We will be trapped here, and we will all die!”

Panicked, Dashi yelled, “I DON’T WANT TO BE A MONK!” 

The monster stopped moving, a rumbling growl rippling through its body.

There was a short pause, before Chase asked, “What do you mean, you don’t want to be a monk?!” 

Guan could see Dashi visibly shake, as he said, “I-I, I don’t like being a monk. I don’t like being tied down. I can’t handle all of the responsibility. Not while I’m still searching for my parents.”

Guan sympathized with Dashi, feeling sadness gnaw at his stomach. “You’re still looking?”

Dashi nodded, his eyes to the floor. 

Even Chase looked a little sad on Dashi’s behalf, and asked, “Is  _ that _ why you’ve been skipping class so much, lately?”

“No,” said Dashi, sheepishly, “but it’s a part of it. I think I’m afraid of-”

Guan felt the vibration in his legs, as the monster growled deeply, “ _ Massssterrr _ .”

Slowly, color seeped out from under the tapestry. Ripples of purple and gold snaked their way around folds of indigo skin, and curled into knotted ropes that hung down from either side of a serpentine head. A Chief Eunuch’s hat rested above a cluster of jaundiced eyes, each one staring down at Dashi with reptilian dullness. 

Guan’s throat tightened with fear, when the folds on the sides of the monster’s neck rose like a crest, and vibrated with it raspy hiss, “ _ Dashiiiii! _ ”

The creature whipped its head to the side, ripping the torch stand from Guan and Chase’s hands. The torch stand flew into the black hallway, and Guan heard it clatter to the ground. The monster lunged, its speed ripping both Chase and Guan from its back. 

They fell into a heap together, tangled up in the discarded tapestry. Guan and Chase tried to get to their feet, but the tapestry slowed them down.

“Dashi!” Guan cried, just as the monster aimed its open mouth for him. 

It held him beneath one of its claws, as the beast snarled in Dashi’s face. Ink-colored saliva dripped from its teeth, as its black tongue slowly traced the bottom of Dashi’s chin and up his face, leaving a trail of black slime. 

Dashi seemed paralyzed, just staring at the monster with wide eyes as it hissed, “ _ Heelllp ussssssss. _ ”

“I can’t!” Dashi told it, turning his face away. 

“ _ Thennnn, dieeeee _ ,” the monster said. 

It arched its neck back, crest rattling. The beast struck, but its head was knocked away from its target, hissing with outrage and surprise. 

Chase stood protectively over Dashi, smiling at the beast as it regained its standing, shaking the daze out of its head. 

“Sorry, ugly,” said Chase, taking a stance, “but my friend is not your dinner.”

Dashi scrambled out from under Chase’s shadow. Guan helped him to stand. 

“You do not have to face your responsibilities alone, if you feel like they are too much to handle,” Guan told him, nodding to Chase. “There are four Xiaolin Dragons for a reason.”

“ _ Three _ ,” Chase clipped, over his shoulder.

“We do not know if Tala is-” Guan started, but Chase lunged for the monster, not listening. 

Guan growled, but followed suit. He smiled encouragingly at Dashi, saying, “You should be leaning on us to help you succeed,” before aiming a jump-kick for the monster’s jaw.  

Dashi picked up the tapestry, yelling to Guan, “Help me throw this over!”

Chase ducked and rolled, avoiding being caught under the tapestry with the monster, and Guan grabbed it by the neck, pulling the tapestry tightly over the beast’s face. The monster hissed and wriggled, but Guan held tightly, yelling, “Hurry!”

“Two minutes, boys!” cried Hannibal. Guan had no idea where his voice was coming from, possibly Chase’s hair. 

Together, Chase and Dashi punched the monster’s head. When their fists hit it, the whole thing crumbled into sand. 

Guan let the tapestry fall onto the giant pile with a satisfied grin. 

Though the monster was gone, there was a groaning coming from all sides of the room. The walls shook. 

“What now?!” Chase cried.

“We’re out of time,” said Hannibal. “Have your friend make us a door,  _ now! _ ”

“Guan, the key!” Chase shouted. “Give it to Dashi!”

Guan fished for the key in his pocket, his fingers fumbling in his haste, and held it out to Dashi with a trembling hand. “Here, quickly”

Dashi took it, looking to both Guan and Chase with a panicked expression. “What do I do with it?!”

“Just think of home!” said Chase, ducking away from a bit of crumbling wall. 

“ _ Do it, now! _ ” shouted Hannibal. 

Guan held his hand over Dashi’s steadying both of their trembling.

“We are a team. We will help you,” said Guan. “You don’t have to do this alone, Dashi.”

Chase held his hand over Guan’s, and said, “Okay, Dashi, get us home.”

“If there’s any home left,” said Dashi.

The three looked up to a flash of light, as the doorway appeared. 


	31. Chapter 31

Thirty-one_ Scars 

Tala’s eyes snapped open. Grey clouds rolled like stormy seas, above her. She tried to sit up, but the instant pain in her elbow kept her from moving any further than a twitch and a startled gasp. 

“Don’t move, Tala,” said Jia, “I’m not done reversing your wounds. I’m still weak, so I have to do it in bits.”

Dojo was pressing a cloth to Tala’s forehead, his eyes narrowed with worry. He smiled a little, when Tala met them. 

“Wuya is where?” Tala asked, slowly turning her head to look at Jia. 

Jia’s hair was all a mess, and her skin shone with sweat. It seeped through even the collar of her apron. She looked pale too, grey rings darkening under her eyes.

“I don’t know,” said Jia. 

“Yeah, after the Apprentices disappeared, she was all like ‘ _ I’m going to destroy everything else!’ _ and left with a whole bunch of rock giants!” said Dojo, doing a strange, hissy mockery of Wuya’s voice. 

“The boys are gone?” Tala asked.

“Yeah,” said Dojo, dabbing a bit more sweat from Tala’s forehead. “We’re the only ones left.”

He teared up, using the same cloth to wipe his eyes. “Everything’s just  _ gone! _ ”

Dojo blew his snout into the cloth, and Tala shied away from it, waving him off with her healthy arm, before he could touch her with it. Dojo shrugged, and tucked it away somewhere, behind him.

“It was a stupid thing of you to do, attacking Wuya like that!” snapped Jia, gently nudging Dojo out of her way to feel Tala’s forehead. “You almost died!”

“ _ Ui _ , no time,” said Tala. “Fix the Scroll of-”

“I will not do  _ anything _ for that dumb paper, until you’re okay!” Jia shouted. 

“The Scroll is bigger than me!” Tala snapped back, too tired, and in too much pain, to raise her voice. 

“Not to me,” Jia snapped. “You're my best friend, Tala. I won’t just let you lie there in pain!”

“She’s right,” said Dojo. “Besides, if you really are the last monk, we need you to be at full strength!”

He shied away from Jia when she glared at him, his mouth stretched into a sheepish smile. 

“Being stupid,” said Tala, turning her head back to the sky. 

Tala smiled a little, though she felt a twinge of guilt, through her blushing. 

She sighed, saying, “All my fault. Should not have helped Wuya.”

“You and me, both,” said Jia. 

“Yeah, you two really screwed up,” said Dojo. 

“Dojo!” Jia hissed. “Not helping!”

Faint, white light covered Tala’s arm, and the smell of fresh snow hit her face. Tala breathed it in, feeling it even cool her lungs like actual winter’s air. Her chest tightened, when a sudden wave of tears came over her.

“Does it hurt?” Jia asked, startled, as Tala began to cry. 

Dojo seemed a little panicked too, looking between Jia and Tala, with wide eyes and no idea what to do.

“ _ No _ ,” Tala whispered, chin quivering. “Only sad.”

She covered her eyes with her healthy arm and cried into her sleeve. Her elbow hurt when she did, but Tala didn’t care. She cried as hard as she could, until Jia was finished. 

Jia pulled Tala into a hug, when her spell was complete. Dojo joined in. Tala pulled away from them, testing her elbow. There was no pain, but there was still a tingle when she moved. It cracked, too. The mobility wasn’t perfect, but it would do.  Her nose scrunched up at the scent of burned linen, that still lingered on her charred sleeves. 

“I told you that I’m not able to really-” said Jia, softly. She looked like she might cry, too. "I'm not very sure if you're-"

Tala shook her head, saying, “I am fine. It can be used.”

“Are you sure it’s okay?” asked Dojo, “because you won’t be able to fight Wuya, if-”

“Stop saying that!” snapped Jia. “She’s not fighting Wuya!”

Tala stood up and looked around, ignoring them as they bantered on a bit, speaking too fast for Tala to care about understanding. There was nothing but grey sky, broken buildings, and rotting trees. Wuya and her rock giants were nowhere to be seen.

“Where did she go?” Tala asked, walking past Jia.

“Tala, you can’t fight,” Jia told her, taking Tala’s wrist. “Wuya  _ will _ kill you! You aren’t even an Apprentice! You. Aren’t.  _ Ready. _ ”

Tala snatched her wrist back, glaring at Jia. “ _ Ui _ , I must.”

“Yeah, she must!” Dojo echoed.

“I won’t be able to heal you, next time!” Jia insisted. “I might no even be able to restore the rest of the Scroll of Ages!”

“If others are gone, then I am the last,” said Tala. “Grand Master said that-”

“Who cares what the Grand Master said!” Jia cried. “They shouldn’t have forced a bunch of kids to fight in their war, anyway!”

Dojo gasped loudly, like an outraged elderly woman. 

“You take that back!” he cried, waving a claw in Jia’s face. “The Xiaolin Monks have been choosing kids her age since the very beginning, some even younger than Tala, and never, in my time as Temple Guardian, have I ever witnessed  _ any _ of them being ‘forced’ to fight- Oh..”

He deflated a little, the realization seeping into his big eyes. “I guess it’s all real now, huh? Didn’t think a bunch of kids would  _ actually _ need to save the world, one day.”

“One kid,” Jia corrected him. “The Apprentices are gone, remember? Which is why Tala’s not going  _ anywhere. _ ”

“I  _ am _ going!” Tala insisted, stamping her foot.

“I’ve already lost my home,” Jia shouted, “I can’t lose you, too!”

“ _ Ui _ has Jun!” Tala shouted back. 

Tears streamed down her face, when Jia cried, “But, I wouldn’t have  _ you! _ ”

Tala took a deep breath, settling the butterflies in her stomach. 

“ _ Ui _ ,” she said, with even more conviction, “I am a Xiaolin Monk. I  _ must _ try. For you, for Jun, for everyperson.”

“Look around! There  _ is _ no more Xiaolin!” Jia shouted. “ _ You _ saw to that, right?! That’s why the boys were all mad at you! Why do you want to fix it, now?! Why  _ can’t _ we just run away? We lost, Wuya won, it’s over!”

“She has a point,” Dojo grumbled.

“Yes,” said Tala, holding her stomach from how hard it flipped. “it is my fault, so I must fix it.  _ Ui  _ must save the Scroll of Ages, and I must fight Wuya.”

She pushed past Jia, saying again, “Where is she?”

“She went north,” said Jia, sighing heavily. “She took a whole army of giants with her. There is another monastery, ten miles away. She’s probably going there.”

Tala looked north, seeing smoke begin to rise above the road. It mushroomed into the clouds, and Tala was unable to tell where they started, and where the smoke ended.

“Find rest to Scroll of Ages,” said Tala. “We  _ must _ bring it back.”

“Tala-”

Tala turned on her. “No!  _ Ui  _ stays!”

“You can’t go!” Jia insisted. “Wuya will kill you, if she sees you again!”

Tala nodded, more angry than frightened.

“ _ Ui  _ wants to help, right?” she asked. “Bring the Scroll of Ages back!”

Jia sighed angrily, unfolded the peices she’d already put back together out from the fold of her apron, and handed it to Tala. Her glare said everything she didn’t.

Tala opened it, reading only a few words as her eyes scanned the parchment. She saw her name paired with Wuya’s, and her stomach clenched. She folded it up, and handed it back to Jia. 

“I am going,” said Tala, not meeting her eyes. 

Dojo’s body stretched into his larger form. Towering over the girls, he bent his head to meet Tala’s determined expression with his own. 

“You ready to save the world from a thousand years of darkness?” he asked.

“Tala,”

Tala froze, not sure if she was happy or terrified when she recognized Chase’s voice. She turned around, meeting his eyes. His widened slightly when he saw her face, but hardened the expression with a dark glare. 

“You need to stay out of this,” he said. “Let the  _ real _ warriors handle it.”

“We need her, Chase,” said Dashi, brushing Chase aside. “She’s the only one with combative magic, remember?”

Guan was silent, still not looking at Tala. That hurt her the most, seeing him so blatantly avoid her. Tala looked away, unable to blame him. 

“You came fr-” Tala started, but Chase’s sharp glare made her forget how to say the rest correctly. 

“Your  _ friend _ sent us to another realm, that made us fight a whole bunch of nightmares,” he snapped. “Lucky, her tricks aren’t a match for us.”

Tala balled her fists, her magic reacting with prickling heat. “Wuya is  _ not _ my-”

“Save it,” said Chase. 

“Mmm, alright, then,” grumbled Dojo, as the monks each climbed onto his back. 

Dojo stopped her with one of his large paws, before Tala could climb on. He bent close, frowning.

“Are you sure about this?” he asked. 

Tala nodded, her stomach churning too much for her to focus on the right words. 

Dojo hesitated, before lifting her onto his neck. She slid in front of Chase, who practically shoved her up a few inches, when her shoulder brushed his chest. Tala held tightly to Dojo’s neck, gasping from the jerk. There was still a bit of pain in her arm, as she dug her fingers into Dojo’s mane.

She swallowed down her anger, and a few hurt tears, before patting Dojo’s neck.

“Ready, Mr. Dojo.” said Tala.

“Wait,” said Dashi. 

Everyone looked back to him. 

“Someone needs to stay behind and help Jia gather the rest of the Scroll’s pieces,” he said. 

“ _ Thank _ you,” said Jia. “I vote Tala.”

“No!” the four of the monks, and Dojo, all shouted at her, in unison.

“I’m sorry, Jia, but we need Tala’s magic against Wuya’s,” said Dashi, when she gave them all a sour expression.

“I’m not staying,” snapped Chase. “Wuya needs to pay for what she’s done, and I’m going to make sure she suffers for it!”

His harsh snarl reminded Tala of his father. Her nails dug into her stomach, from how much it hurt with guilt. She wiped at a few tears in her eyes, biting her lower lip, remembering what Chase had told her in the cave. She wanted to make it right.

Chase looked away angrily, when he noticed that Tala was staring.

“Where Chase goes, I go,” said Guan. 

Chase’s anger melted into a smile when he met Guan’s eyes, and the two clasped palms. 

“That leaves you, Dashi,” said Chase. “Are you willing to stay behind?”

“It was my idea,” he said, shrugging.

Chase narrowed his eyes. “Right.”

To Dojo, he said, “Let’s go.”

Tala kept her eyes on Jia and Dashi, until they became only little dots on the ground. Dojo spiraled through the air, toward the black columns of smoke that rose over the horizon. 


	32. Chapter 32

Thirty-two_ Daija Delmora

Dashi watched on as Jia struggled to bring the pieces back to life. She growled with frustration and dropped the parchment, the white light dying in her hands. 

“Do you think, maybe,” he started, but then trailed off, watching Jia begin to shake. 

She wiped some sweat from her brow, giving Dashi a side-glare as she said, “With all due respect, Honored Apprentice, shut up. I’m trying to concentrate.” 

Dashi raised his hands in surrender, keeping an eye on the weak strain of light. He relaxed when she looked back at the parchment, making her magic glow brightly, again. 

“Jia, I think you need to take a break,” he said. 

Jia took a deep, laboring breath. It seemed to rattle in her chest, like wind through bare branches.  

“I’m fine!” she said. 

“You don’t look it,” said Dashi. She really was starting to look pale, like when after she had healed him and the other monks. 

“I told Tala I’d do this, so I’m doing it!” Jia snapped. “Get off my back, okay?!”

Dashi wasn’t sure how to answer that. They both looked down at the parchment in heated silence, Jia’s anger still crackling the air between them. Dashi wasn’t sure if that was magic, or just how Jia was as a person, in general.

“Tala told you to do it, huh?” he asked.

Jia scoffed, but didn’t really answer him. She just muttered something under her breath.

“Why are you helping us?” asked Dashi. “You could have just run away with the other maids. Nobody would have needed to know that you’re a-”

“Don’t say it,” said Jia, quietly. 

There was another stretch of silence. Her magic flickered rapidly, then sputtered out. Jia cursed under her breath, trying again. Her hands shook violently, when she couldn’t bring it back. 

Jia’s jaw clenched, and Dashi thought she would get frustrated again, but in a quiet voice, she said, “She kissed me, you know.”

“Tala?”

“Yeah.”

The magic came back, flickering like a tiny fire. The parchment curled a little at its edges, but nothing really changed.

“Is that why?” asked Dashi, picking up a thick piece of ash beside him. He’d hoped it was another piece to the Scroll, but the white parchment rejected it when he held it close, shrinking away as if it were disgusted. 

Jia shook her head. “No. It’s just a lot to think about.  _ All _ of this is a lot to think about.”

Dashi crumbled the clump of ash in his hand, and let it fly away in the breeze, sighing, “You can say that, again.”

The light faded. Dashi leaned forward, to look at the parchment over Jia’s shoulder. It hadn’t changed. Dashi slid his eyes toward Jia. She just looked even more tired. Dashi leaned back, drumming his fingers on the ground. 

“So, if it’s not about Tala, why are you helping us?” he asked.

Jia tossed her hands into the air. “It’s just the right thing to do, okay?! What’s so bad about it?!”

“Okay, but past that,” said Dashi, “ _ why _ do you want to? We don’t even know if this plan will work, and Wuya knows who you are, now. You’re more than likely on her hit-list.”

“You’d be surprised,” Jia drawled, playing with the magic in her hand. She made it wiggle, looking a bit like a drunk person trying to dance on top of the parchment. 

“Grandmother always told me to help people with my magic,” she said, pressing the little figure down. It spread over the parchment, glowing faintly. “Seeing Tala using her magic to protect everyone in the Temple,  _ and _ being a monk, I guess I just thought that I could be a hero, too. I don’t know who I was kidding. All I managed to do was heal Wuya’s wounds for her, so she wouldn’t kill me. I’m not brave, like Tala is.”

“Tala’s not brave,” said Dashi, snorting at the idea. 

“She was willing to die, in order to free you from those rock giants,” said Jia. “She turned her back on a sorceress, to protect you! How can you dismiss what she’s done for you guys so easily?”

“You think too highly of her,” said Dashi. “This wouldn’t have happened at all, if Tala hadn’t.. You know what, I don’t feel like arguing about it. Tala took the easy way out for her problems, and destroyed everything we care about in the process. End of story.”

“That may be true, but you didn’t see her after you guys disappeared,” said Jia. “She was more than willing to sacrifice herself-”

“I said, I didn’t want to talk about it,” said Dashi. “Just fix the Scroll, already. We should be trying to help the others, not arguing over the person who betrayed us.”

Jia’s magic fizzled out, again. Jia sighed. There were dark circles under her eyes, now. 

Dashi looked out to the ruined Xiaolin Temple in front of them. The ash had stopped falling, coating the ground and broken buildings with a dusting of grey. Some of it had gotten onto his hands. It was grainy, digging into Dashi’s palm like sand. He brushed it on his shirt, but the ash just left light streaks on it. He felt a little sick, looking at the way it stained his palms.

He rested his chin on his knees, saying, “This sucks.”

“I’m trying my best!” cried Jia. 

Dashi tensed, feeling a little guilty that she thought he was talking about her. He mumbled, “Sorry.”

Jia stared hard at the parchment, and started to cry. It crumbled under her fingers. 

“I’m so tired,” she said. “I don’t even know what I’m doing. I wish Grandmother were here to guide me!”

“Maybe you’re just doing it wrong,” Dashi suggested.

“I’m doing it how I always do!” said Jia. 

“That might be the problem.”

“Ugh! Don’t you think I want to fix it?”

“What  _ do _ you normally do?” 

Jia smoothed out the parchment, saying, “My magic usually just activates on its own, and I let it do what it wants. It wants to fix the Scroll of Ages..I  _ think _ .. but,”

She sighed harshly, and Dashi watched her throat bob. “I can’t stop thinking about Wuya.” 

“We’re going to stop her,” said Dashi, “but we need you to get the Scroll of Ages back in working condition, first.”

“No!..I mean,” Jia trailed off, just staring at the parchment for a while, before hesitantly looking at him. She said, “Wuya told me that my magic is Heylin. The Scroll is Xiaolin, so maybe my magic  _ doesn’t _ want to fix it!”

Dashi narrowed his eyes. “You’re overthinking it.”

“I’m not!” snapped Jia, her face turning red. “That’s the only way I can really explain why it’s not working!”

“Mmm, yeah,” said Dashi. “You’re overthinking it. That’s holding you back.”

“How would you know?” asked Jia. “You don’t even have magic!”  

Dashi shrugged, saying, “I know what it’s like to overthink, though. You’re too worried about focusing on all the little things, that you can’t see what’s really in front of you. Your brain’s too crowded! You gotta let some of it out. Come on, tell me what’s  _ really _ bugging you.”

“What if.. What if, this time, my magic  _ doesn’t _ want to help?” asked Jia. “What if it really is evil, and it’s just been waiting for the right time to act on it? What if it’s because  _ I’m _ evil?”

Dashi burst into laughter.

“Hey!” 

“That is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard!” he cried. “I don’t care what Wuya told you, you can’t  _ seriously _ believe that!” 

“But-”

“Your grandmother trained you in magic, right?” asked Dashi.

Jia stammered something under her breath along the lines of “I wouldn’t say train..more like guide..”

Dashi smiled. He asked, “What do you think she’d say about this?”

Jia didn’t say anything, looking back to the parchment with shame in her eyes.

“She’d probably call phooey on whatever Wuya said, wouldn’t she?” he asked. 

“I don’t know,” said Jia. “She told me stories about magic a lot, so I know we come from one of the old bloodlines, but she never mentioned the Heylin.”

“Then, there you go,” said Dashi.  

“But, what if it’s true?!” asked Jia. “What if she just didn’t tell me, because she thought I’d turn bad?!”

“Jia, you’re the least ‘bad’ person I know,” said Dashi. 

Jia’s cheeks were crimson. “You don’t know that!” 

“I totally do!” said Dashi. “You’re always sticking up for the people who can’t stick up for themselves, even if they don’t deserve it. You’re also really honest.  _ Really _ honest.”

Jia grumbled, blushing.

“You doing okay?” he asked, after silence passed between them. “You still look a little pale.”

“Yeah,” said Jia, smiling. “I think I can try again, now.”

The light came back, flickering to life with a bright sparkle. The parchment fluttered a little, but the drifted back down into Jia’s hands, delicately. 

“Come on!” Jia shouted. “Why aren’t you working?! Don’t you want to help?!”

Dashi watched Jia bite her lip, sniffing back tears. She wiped them away with the back of her hand. 

“See?” she asked. “I told you! This is useless!”

She crumpled up the parchment into a ball, and went to throw it. Dashi leapt up, and snatched her wrist before she could.

“Wait,” he said. “I just realized something. I think your magic  _ does _ want to help. It probably just doesn’t like your attitude.”

“Ha!”

“No, seriously,” Dashi inisted. “Tala told once told me that magic is controlled by your emotions. What if all of your doubts are keeping it from working? Maybe I’m right, and you really  _ are  _ thinking too much!”

Jia slowly pulled her arm back.

“What if different types of magic are controlled by different types of emotions?” he asked. “Tala’s seems to works the best when she’s angry, or really stressed out, right? What if  _ yours _ works better with a  _ different _ emotion?”

Jia shrugged. “I don’t normally feel a particular way whenever I use it, though.”

“Maybe it’s time that you start to.”

Jia narrowed her eyes. “What- Honored Apprentice, that’s nonsense!”

“Hmm,” said Dashi, rubbing his chin, “What if.. Ah-ha! Jia! Do you remember what emotion you were feeling, the first time you used magic?”

“No!” she said, with a consternated laugh. “How could I?”

“Okay, then how about when your grandmother was helping you?” Dashi suggested. 

Jia let her eyes drop, her eyebrows meeting with deep thought. 

“When I was with her, I felt safe,” said Jia. “I felt like I could use my magic, and not lose control of it, because she’d always know what to do if anything went wrong. I’ve never had to worry about having any accidents. I can always think of Grandmother, and listen to her voice tell me what to do,”

The parchment in Jia’s hand began to softly glow. Jia didn’t seem to notice. “but  _ this _ …”

The parchment stopped glowing, instantly. 

‘I wonder..’ thought Dashi, then said, “Tell me more about your grandmother.”

He kept his eyes on the parchment as Jia spoke, with a small smile, “She is very wise, and kind. I thought she would scream the first time she saw me use magic, or call for someone to come and take me away, but she very calmly took my hands and held them, and told me to not be afraid of what I could do.”

As Jia was telling him this, the parchment began to glow, again. The ball uncrumpled itself, and smoothed out, as if it had not been damaged at all. 

“The funny thing was that I  _ wasn’t _ afraid,” said Jia, “and I think it’s because of her. Using my magic with Grandmother was the most  _ amazing _ feeling in the world.”

Jia gasped, when the faint glowing became a dazzling light. They watched the parchment float above her palm, shining like a mini star. The ash and dirt around them began to swirl, flying up to wrap around the parchment. The parchment began to grow, the floating ash turning white, as it stitched itself back together. 

“You did it!” cried Dashi.

“Not all of it,” said Jia, “look.”

The parchment floated back down, draping itself over Jia’s lap. It stretched to the length of Jia’s arm at least, but it was far from finished. Its light pulsed, weakly.

“I looks like a middle piece,” said Dashi, kneeling down to lift one of the Scroll’s jagged edges.  

Jia let him take it. He draped it over his knees, reading a few of the lines. It was the very middle of some passage about a few Xiaolin Dragons fighting a witch. There were the usual narratives about good triumphing over evil that he, admittedly, glossed over. Dashi wasn’t exactly sure which story he was reading, until, “Oh.”

“What?”

Dashi’s smile broke into a wide grin. “Ohhh!”

“What?!”

Dashi shoved the parchment back into Jia’s hands, saying, “We need to find more of the peices! I need the rest of this story!”

“Honored Apprentice, what are you talking about?” asked Jia, “How are you so sure we’ll find the rest of this specific passage?”

Dashi raced past her, and slid into a pile of ash. He began to dig, picking out anything that could even remotely look like it belonged to the Scroll of Ages. 

“Because, if we fix the rest, it will be there,” he called, over his shoulder. “Just keep trying to put that thing back together!”

* * *

Dojo coughed, as they passed through another cloud of black smoke.

“This new world order is really bad for my lungs,” he rasped, making a corkscrew to avoid the next column of smoke. 

Tala pressed herself to his neck, covering her face. The dry heat stung her eyes, as they passed the column. She looked back at the world behind them. It was all grey and black, with zero signs of life anywhere on the ground. The ash seemed to have seeped deep into the roots of trees, turning every single one black. Sharp rocks shot up from the roots of every tree that Tala could see, making walls of spikes around the forests and towns below. They even broke through houses, destroying whatever Wuya might not have, as she passed through the valley. 

The river that parted the Xiaolin Temple and the Three Hills was completely still, shining like glass. It was flecked with the bodies of dead fish and birds. The water itself was silver. Tala could clearly see Dojo’s reflection in it, as they flew over. 

Tala clutched the pendant around her neck, feeling absolutely sick. It seemed like no matter where she turned her head, she would see devastation and decay. 

“Proud of your handiwork?” hissed Chase, when he noticed her looking around.

Tala didn’t answer him. She looked ahead again, clenching the pendant in her fist. 

She saw the giants before she heard the screaming. They were chasing people down, trapping them in the rice fields and scooping them each up one-by-one, tossing them, or stomping on them, while others were thrown into the giants’ caged stomachs, just like what had happened at the Xiaolin Temple.  

The roof of the monastery had collapsed, its domed roof cracked open, like an egg shell. A giant reached down inside, pulled up a handful of screaming people, and shoved them into its mouth. 

Tala cringed, crying out with disgust as she covered her face. She heard Wuya’s laughter. The bile in Tala’s stomach turned to ice, at the sound. She snapped her head back up, looking for any signs of her aunt’s red hair. Rage made her hands burn.

There! 

Wuya stood on a grassy outcrop, overlooking the carnage. Her back was to the approaching dragon. She shrieked out wild laughter, screaming, “Run, humans, run! The Xiaolin Monks can no longer protect you!”

Tala jumped, just barely feeling Chase’s fingers brush her clothes, as she leapt silently through the air. Her momentum sent Wuya flying, with a kick. Tala landed in a crouch, watching Wuya grind into the earth where she landed, loosening dirt, clay, and rock. Tala summoned the battlefan to her hand, and blue flames danced along its bladed edge. 

Wuya slowly pulled herself up, and dusted off her dress as if nothing had happened. She mirrored Tala’s crouch. 

“ _ So _ ,” said Wuya, in Wupoyisho, “ _ you’re alive _ .  _ Maybe, I should have killed that Hydra girl, first. _ ”

Tala lunged, slicing her fan forward. The fire lashed out, like a whip. Wuya jumped over it, and ran along its current. She kicked Tala in the face. Tala flipped, trying to get herself into a landing position. She braced her head, rolling to a stop. Tala’s fan had fallen from her hand, landing between herself and Wuya. She looked up to see Wuya step on it.

“ _Stupid girl_ ,” said Wuya, summoning her own fistfull of fire. She kicked the fan behind her. “ _You never learn, do you?_ _How many times have I told you to stop rushing into things, and start thinking?”_

She smiled darkly, and the green flames grew to the size of Wuya’s head. “ _You’re going to get hurt._ ”

Tala braced herself, ready to lunge at Wuya, but Chase beat her to the attack. Wuya blocked him with invisible magic, when he came from the side. 

“Don’t worry, pretty boy,” said Wuya, in common tongue, giving him a smiling side-glance, “I didn’t forget about you.”

She tossed him away with the magic, giving Tala the second she needed to get back to her feet. Guan stepped in front of her, before Tala could launch herself at Wuya, again. 

“I knew you’d show up,” said Wuya. “How did you pests break that spell?”

Guan crouched into a stance, and so did Tala. She flicked her fingers, quietly summoning the fan back into her hand. 

“The Xiaolin Monks are more versatile than you think, Wuya,” said Guan, very calmly. 

“Is that so?” she asked, chuckling. “Somehow, I get the feeling that you had a  _ little  _ help, getting out.”

She lunged for Guan. He dodged her fire-covered fist, and went for his own punch to her stomach, but she was too quick. Wuya grabbed his hand before the punch could land, smiling evilly at him. 

Guan cried out when blisters bubbled up his wrist, and yanked himself out of her grip. He held his hand close, breathing heavily, and glared at her with gnashing teeth. 

Tala didn’t give her any time to gloat, slicing at Wuya with the battlefan. Wuya jumped over and dodged every slice, as she backed away. She seemed to be having a lot of fun, teasing Tala with taps and small hits, as he lead Tala further away from Guan. Tala was so turned around, whipping her head this-way-and-that, trying to keep her focus on Wuya, that everything else was a blur. 

“Tala, STOP!” Guan shouted. 

She did, but only just in time for Wuya to land in front of her, and press a finger into Tala’s forehead, sending her over the edge of the outcrop.

Tala scrambled to catch herself, pulling up grass and rock as she fell. She twisted in the air, covering her face. The taste of orange jumped up into the back of her throat, and when Tala opened her eyes, the world was still. The air was so dense that Tala felt like she was floating in water. She moved her arm, feeling the slow, crawling resistance of its movement, and looked up to the edge of the outcrop. She thought to ‘swim up’ and continue fighting, but she was too far down, and Tala could already feel the spell loosen around her. She wouldn’t make it, in time. 

Then, she noticed out of the corner of her eye, Dojo. His face was twisted into panic, and his body was as straight as a needlepoint, frozen in his rescue attempt. He was still too far away. He would not be able to reach her on his own, but he was closer to her than she was to the edge of the outcrop.

Holding on as tightly as she could to the magic, Tala swam for Dojo. Reaching him was like trying to swim through mud. Tala’s arms felt so heavy, and she could feel her magic slipping, the more tired she became. She reached out her hand. She was only inches from his snout. All...Most.. There-

Tala dropped.

Dojo whipped his tail, and caught her as she passed his claws, wrapping it around her middle. He flipped her onto his back, saying, “Thought we’d lose you there, for a second, Trainee.”

Shaking, Tala hugged his neck. “Thank you, Dojo.”

She looked back up to the outcrop, hearing one of the boys scream. 

“We must help them!” she cried.

“Way ahead of you,” said Dojo. He rushed up, the vibration of a fireblast beginning to rumble under Tala’s feet. He flew up. 

Tala yanked at the pendant, breaking the chord against the back of her neck with a satisfying  _ snap! _

Wuya’s eyes widened, when their gazes met. Tala lunged, round-house kicking at her. Wuya blocked Tala’s leg, and then her punch. Tala swept low, for Wuya’s ankle. Wuya jumped. Tala faked a punch to Wuya’s ribs, and when Wuya went to block it, Tala jumped up and smashed the pendant into Wuya’s nose as hard as she could. 

Wuya staggered back, blood pooling between her fingers, right under Dojo’s shadow. She turned to face the dragon, and crossed her arms over her face as he breathed a stream of fire over her. 

Tala could see the shimmering purple and green of a magical block, making the fire arc in every direction, away from the witch. She cursed under her breath, and looked behind her. 

Guan was the one who had been injured, but she couldn’t tell just how. Chase crouched over him protectively, and glared straight at Tala. 

“Chase,” she said, tossing the bloody pendant, “help me.”

Chase stood, and came to her side

“No,” he growled, pushing Tala out of the way, as he walked toward Wuya. “Stay out of my way.  _ I’m _ finishing this.”

Tala clenched her fist, and followed him. 

Wuya smiled, blood still dripping from her nose, looking between Dojo and the two monks.

“Oh nooo,” she purred, “I’m surrounded!”

She brought her hands up, and clapped them above her head. The vibration pushed them back. Dojo was blown off of the outcrop. 

“Dojo!” yelled Tala, bracing herself against Wuya’s magic. 

She tossed out her own, to catch Chase. Wuya’s magic pressed him against its shimmering, blue wall. Tala used one hand to shield herself, and the other to keep Chase from flying away. Her knees shook with the effort of using two spells at once, the smell of woodsmoke already rising up from her shoulders. 

Chase jumped forward, using Tala’s magic as a springboard, aiming a punch for Wuya. 

With relief, Tala dropped her arm. The smell of cinnamon hit her, pushing against Tala with another wave of energy. The earth below her rumbled a little. She almost didn’t notice it. 

“ _ Fenhai _ ,” she muttered, and made her first spell widen, pushing it between Chase and Wuya. Chase’s fist met her spell.

“TALA!” He yelled, holding his wrist.

“Bad idea!” Tala shouted back at him. “New spell!”

Wuya smiled at Chase from behind the shimmering wall, wiping the blood from her face. 

“I’d listen to her,” she said, curling her fingers. 

Wuya crossed her arms and yanked up, the ground beneath Chase ripping apart, like torn paper. 

Tala gasped, and pulled back on her spell, wrapping it around Chase to keep him from falling through the fissure. Just trying to keep him upright was daunting. Tala had to hold her casting arm up with her other hand, her back burning with the strain. 

Tala used all of her might to move the bubble over just a few inches, before it popped. Chase rolled to safety, protecting his head, and Tala sunk to her knees, out of breath. She held her arm, breathing through the pain.

“ _ Tired, already? _ ” asked Wuya, “ _ You really  _ _ are _ _ more human than I thought, Li _ _ ttle Monk _ _. _ ”

“ _ You say monk, like it’s a bad thing _ ,” said Tala, between breaths. She staggered back to her feet, the taste of orange pooling into her mouth. It mixed with a taste of iron.

“ _ It  _ _ is _ _ a bad thing _ ,” said Wuya. “ _ Traitor. _ ”

Tala flinched at the word, and hardened her glare. She hissed, “ _Better a Zeiyo than something like you!_ ”

Chase stood up behind her, and crouched into another stance. 

“Cover me,” he hissed. 

Tala nodded, but kept her narrowed eyes on Wuya. 

Chase and Tala ran at her. Wuya summoned fireballs into both of her hands. She threw them at Chase, and Tala blocked them with a barrier. She let the barrier down, when Chase was close enough. He jumped, crying out, “Black Tiger Steals Heart!”

He thrust out his fist, and Wuya side-blocked it. She mirrored the attack. Chase pushed her arm away, and lunged again. Again, another effortless block from Wuya. 

“Maybe you shouldn’t announce your attacks,” she said. “I can do Black Tiger Steals Heart in my sleep. Try this one: White Snake Shoots Venom!”

She thrust her punch, aiming for Chase’s throat. He blocked it, and rolled her arm to the side, but didn’t notice her other arm, as she aimed it upward. Chase ducked his head to dodge it, and Wuya brought her other fist up, and clipped his jaw. Chase staggered backward.

“That’s not the move,” Chase snarled, rubbing his chin. “That was dirty!”

“Exactly,” said Wuya. “That’s the  _ Venom  _ part. I’m not one of your little playmates.”

Chase lunged, with another punch aimed for her face. Wuya thrust a palm out, sending him backward with a blast of invisible magic. He bounced against Tala’s barrier, and stood steady on his feet, again. 

“Alright, Chase?” Tala asked, letting the barrier fade out.

Chase glared at her. He ran for Wuya, again. 

Wuya yanked her arms up, and the fissure crumbled in on itself. A deafening roar came from the dirt and rock, as the largest giant they had ever seen pulled itself from the ground, like an infection from a festering wound. The monster gathered up the trees and the grass into its body as it formed, rocks grinding together and wood splintering. It had not pulled itself from the ground yet, and the behemoth already towered over them, even taller than the monastery's broken tower.

The cinnamon smell of Wuya’s magic was so strong that Tala almost began to gag. Her woodsmoke rose up to meet it, as she cast another shielding spell around herself, Chase, and the still unconscious Guan. The giant brought its fist down. Sparks flew up from Tala’s barrier, as the fist bounced against it.

Tala looked for Dojo out of both corners of her eyes, but he was nowhere to be seen. Where was he?! 

Wuya calmly walked over to the barrier, and smiled directly at Tala.

“You’re weak,” she said, in common tongue, most likely to scare Chase, too. “It won’t be long until he breaks through. Just give up, and I’ll kill you quickly, instead of just letting him smash you both to death.”

Tala’s response was to strengthen her barrier with another shuddering layer of blue. Her scarred arm burned with the pain of holding up such a big barrier.

Chase tensed, beside her.

“Fine,” said Wuya, “have it your way.”

She pressed her palm flat against the barrier, and purple smoke began to creep over it, swirling into vines that began to wrap around and squeeze Tala’s mgic. The blue barrier began to crack. Tala cried out, pain rippling up her arm. 

Chase held onto her, helping Tala keep her arm up. He said, “I’ve got you! Don’t let go!”

Tala ground her teeth, and pushed back harder, remembering Wuya’s last lesson. Her anger wasn’t enough, anymore. She was burning out. The woodsmoke smell was enough to verify that. She felt dizzy, as exhaustion began to take its toll. 

Tala looked up, watching the purple vines slither up to the top of the dome, cracking it the entire way. The giant’s fist came down again, splintering the dome even more. The magic still held together, even though Tala could hardly see the vines through it. Tala looked back at Wuya, her heart pounding.

Wuya smiled cruelly, the spirals in her eyes turning. 

Chase’s grip tightened on Tala, and she looked over her shoulder to look at Guan. He was completely motionless, with cuts and bruises all over him. Dojo was still nowhere to be seen, too. 

Tala went to grab onto the pendant around her neck, and realized that it was no longer there. She’d forgotten that she had gotten rid of it. She crumpled the collar of her robes in her fist, instead. 

Her hands burned with urgency, and orange clung to the roof of her mouth, as she tried so desperately to hang on to the barrier. Tala’s arm shook with the pressure, and she remembered Wuya’s lesson with the floating rock. She closed her eyes for a second, taking a deep breath, trying to think back on what Wuya had once said: ‘ _ Take what your enemies have done to you, and turn it into your strength. _ ’

“ _ Daija Delmora _ , ” she whispered.

Tala pressed her magic a little further, biting through the burning of her scars, through the ache of fatigue, until the cracking in her barrier stopped. But, it was only for a few seconds. The vines squeezed even harder, when they realized that Tala was pushing back. 

Tala yelped, as her magic rippled back through it. She was too tired to hold it any longer, at least not with as much energy as she was trying to expend. She leaned back into Chase, feeling dizzy.

_ “What else did Wuya say? _ ” Tala mumbled to herself, shaking her head to clear the fog. Her eyes hurt, her arm hurt, and she could feel herself slipping further and further into exhaustion. 

Tala’s tired eyes turned upward, feeling as though she might pass out. The giant brought its fist back down, almost breaking the barrier with a loud  _ crunch _ . One more blow, and they would be finished. 

Tala’s eyes fluttered closed. She could feel the spell slip through her fingers. The barrier flickered. 

“Tala,” Chase hissed into her ear, “stay awake! You’re our only hope of surviving this!”

“Better idea?” Tala rasped.

“I don’t know!” said Chase. “Just try to protect us long enough for Guan to wake up. Maybe we can attack her together, and-”

Tala snapped her eyes back open, realizing what she needed. She shook Chase off, and with the last of her energy, thrust both of her palms to the barrier, glaring up at Wuya. Orange coated her mouth, as her hands burned with such a fire that she thought sparks would fly.

“ _ Plain old desire, _ ” Tala hissed Wuya’s favored choice of slang, and thrust her magic forward, again. The barrier thickened, pushing Wuya back a few inches. “ _ See, I  _ _ do _ _ learn. My desire is to protect my friends! _ ”

Another wave of blue washed over the barrier, pushing Wuya back even further. When the giant brought its fist down, its hand bounced back with a  _ tonk! _ It made a confused sound, tapping on the glassy surface of the barrier with its finger. 

Wuya’s eyes widened with surprise. 

“ _ More like to save yourself, _ ” she snarled. The vines above the dome curled in, pressing tightly against Tala’s magic. “ _ Besides, it’s only temporary! You’re still going to die! All of you! _ ”

“What’s going on?” Chase asked.

“Buy little time,” said Tala, breathing heavily, “but still weak.”

“You’ll always  _ be _ weak!” said Wuya, pressing her other hand to the dome. 

The vines began to swell, like ticks. Their ends sharpened into points, and reared back. At the same time, the giant lifted both of its fists. 

“On my count,” said Wuya, to the giant, as she smiled wickedly at the two monks, “we break the wall.” 

* * *

Jia slumped over, breathing heavily. Sweat soaked through her clothes, and dripped down the strands of hair around her forehead. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head, and she dropped, the white glow of her magic snuffing out when she hit the ground. 

“Jia!” cried Dashi, and rolled her onto her back. He lightly tapped her cheeks. “Come on, Jia, we just need you a little bit longer, okay? We’ve almost got it!”

Jia moaned, scrunching her face. She weakly shook her head. She rasped, “Too much.”

“Jia, the others are counting on us!” said Dashi, “Wake up! Wuya might have even hurt them already! They need us to fix the Scroll of Ages!”

He grabbed one end of the Scroll of Ages and waved it in her face, saying, “We’ve gotten a lot of it, I just need you to finish the rest of this story!”

“I can’t,” Jia whined. “I’m too weak. I can’t move. Just talking…”

Her head rolled to the side, a weak sigh parting her lips. 

Dashi leaned away, grounding out his own sigh. He ran a hand over his bald head. He looked down at the corner of the Scroll he held in his hand, and ran his thumb over a part of the incantation. 

“ The Incantation of Renewal ,” he read aloud. “Used by the Xiaolin Monks to restore the damage done to the estuary of the Silver Sea, by the Heylin Sorceress, Quijorna, on the fifth day of the year of the Wood Snake, in the Eighth Cycle. The Incantation is, as follows:  _ Flowing as Water, raging as Fire, still as Earth, roaming as Wind. Halves into wholes, opposites to completion. Diving into darkness, rising into light. Summer to Fall, Winter to Spring _ -” 

It cut off there.

Panic bubbled into Dashi’s chest, as he tried to think of what else it could say to complete the incantation. He tried to think back on old lessons about balance, about nature, about anything he read in the incantation, but he was too worked up to really piece anything together. 

Frustrated, Dashi tossed the Scroll to the ground. He sat down, running his hands over his head, trying to not hyperventilate. They were so close, but without the rest, he might as well have nothing at all! 

Jia groaned, and rolled over to her side. Dashi’s panic became guilt, as he watched her curl into herself with pain written all over her face. 

He asked, “Are you okay?”

Jia opened her eyes only slightly, clenching her teeth with the effort. “I don’t..know..”

He got to his feet and went to her, lightly touching her forehead with the back of his hand. She felt clammy, and definitely looked pale, now. She probably wouldn’t last much longer. 

Dashi sighed, and took off his shirt. He folded it up, and placed it gently beneath her head. 

“My plan didn’t work,” he said. “Chase was right, this was a stupid idea. Everyone else is risking their lives, you’re practically dying, and I don’t even know what I’m supposed to be reading!  I’m sorry, Jia. We failed. You should just try to rest, now.”

“We..aren’t..done yet,” rasped Jia. She wheezed, the effort making her whole body shake. 

“Yes, we are!” snapped Dashi. “I won’t let my last action, before Wuya comes to kill me, be bossing around one of my friends to death!” 

“Then, stop..telling me..what..to do.”

She tried to pull herself up, and grunted angrily, when she fell back down onto Dashi’s shirt. She rasped, “Hand me..that..Scroll piece.”

“You’re a maid, not a monk,” said Dashi, “You don’t have to do this. Stopping Wuya isn’t your responsibility, it’s mine!”

The piece of the Scroll of Ages that Dashi had discarded began to glow, faintly. The light was a familiar, soft yellow, not the bright white of Jia’s magic. 

Jia’s eyes widened slightly, and she tried to lift her head.

“No way,” Dashi breathed. He went to touch it, and when his hand came near, the light brightened.

“It’s alive!” he cried, picking it up. The Scroll piece wriggled a little, under his touch. “The Scroll of Ages is alive! You did it, Jia!”

Jia’s curious stare was made harsh, by her pain. “You’re..connected..to it..”

“All Xiaolin Monks are,” said Dashi, dismissively. He lay the glowing Scroll piece beside Jia. “It chose us, so it recognizes our qi, or something. Master Young explained it when I first became a Trainee, but I wasn’t paying attention. Pretty sure I fell asleep, at one point.”

The Scroll piece’s light dimmed a little, seeming to react to what Dashi had said with an oddly sentient hint of sadness. Dashi got a strange feeling from the thought of it actually being able to understand anything, but who was he to question ancient Xiaolin magic? 

Dashi bent close to it, curious, and said, “I know the Monk of Light created it, so maybe there’s something he hid inside of the Scroll of Ages to help us fix the rest of it. He had to have known that the Heylin would want to destroy this thing. This piece has a story about stopping a witch who changed a part of reality, so maybe it also knows how to restore itself without the use of outside magic, too.”

He thought for a second, before snapping his fingers. He said, “Maybe Grand Master Wei had something in the Jade Circle that can tell us more about it. If anybody knows anything about the Scroll of Ages and its secrets, it’s him.”

“Just lay there, and rest,” he said, jogging off, back toward the ruined Xiaolin Temple, “I’ll be right back!”

* * *

Jia watched the yellow glow die down, the further away Dashi ran. She reached out, and ran her fingers lightly over some of the black characters. The piece shuddered at her touch. It really  _ was _ alive. 

Jia pulled herself up to her elbows, leaning over the long piece of Scroll. She couldn’t read men’s words -she wasn’t allowed to- but they were interesting to her, nonetheless. She ran a finger over the jagged edge, where the piece ended. The piece curled inward, like the leaves of sleeping grass that she used to play with, as a child. 

“Don’t..like me..do you?” she murmured, every word a heavy burden in her chest. She thought that it must have sensed the ‘Hydra’ in her.

Jia shuddered at the memory of Wuya’s claws digging into her scalp. She looked up to the sky, watching green lightning weave between the broken, grey clouds against blackish-purple sky. A white mask hung above the ruined Xiaolin Temple, and she wasn’t sure if it was the sun or the moon that had been changed into its ugly, smiling face. Its eyes stared down at Jia, spiraling like the witch’s did. She stuck her tongue out at it, and looked back down at the Scroll piece. 

It glowed again, and stretched itself taut, pointing in the direction that Dashi went. 

“What?” Jia whispered, enchanted. 

The Scroll piece pointed again, more urgently. 

Jia pushed herself up to her knees, watching the Scroll piece hop around, pointing in Dashi’s direction. Its length waved around, as the pointing end of it tried to hop forward. Jia scooped the Scroll piece up, and it snapped itself shut, a little like its old self. The Scroll piece glowed faintly, humming with warmth in Jia’s hands.

“You’re welcome?” she said, fighting a weak smile. 

The Scroll piece was much larger in her hands than Jia had anticipated, already the thickness and size of a regular library scroll, at only a fraction of the Scroll of Ages’ true length. 

Jia pressed the Scroll piece to her chest, as she tried to push herself to her feet with her other hand. The struggle took her an extra try to really get herself to her wobbly feet. She felt dizzy, once she’d righted herself. 

Then, she heard distant screaming. Jia flinched, looking up. The screaming became louder, as a giant snake flew overhead. It crashed through the top of a rotting tree, splintering it, and fell to the ground.

Thinking it was another one of Wuya’s monsters, Jia braced herself to run away -or walk away, with what little energy she had- but then, the Scroll piece began to glow. It pointed even more strongly, straight at the green snake. The monster groaned, and shrank to a much smaller size. 

Jia felt fatigue hit her again, as her eyes blurred. She inched toward it, holding the Scroll piece close. It struggled in her grip, insistently pointing at the seemingly unconscious creature. 

As she got closer, Jia realized, through her burning, tired eyes, that the supposed monster was actually Dojo. She dropped to her knees, and picked the little dragon up. Dojo groaned. Opening his eyes a little, he rasped, “Jia? What happened?”

“You flew into a tree,” said Jia. 

Dojo rubbed his head. “No.. no, I remember that we were fighting Wuya, and-”

Dojo gasped, and leapt out of Jia’s hands, growing back into his larger size, snarling, “The kids!”

The Scroll piece glowed brightly, and Dojo snapped his large head back down, his eyes growing wider. “The Scroll!”

Jia put the Scroll piece in Dojo’s paw, and he squinted at it. He asked, “Where’s the rest of it?”

“That’s all I could fix of it,” said Jia. 

Her knees buckled beneath her, and Dojo caught her with his free paw. 

“Sorry,” said Jia. “I’m still dizzy.”

“Do you think you can restore the rest of it?” asked Dojo. 

Jia shook her head. She immediately regretted it, squeezing her eyes closed against another wave of dizziness.

Dashi came running back up the hill, waving his arms wildly as he cried, “I found it! I found what we need!”

He stopped short when he saw Dojo, his unswollen eye very wide. 

“Dojo?” he asked, “What happened? Where are the others?”

“Wuya cast a spell and blasted me away,” said Dojo. “I have to hurry back! The others are still in danger!- _ Wait _ , what are you holding?”

Jia saw that Dashi was holding a jade scroll casing. The jade was carved into a strange symbol, like two fish circling each other. She tried to get a closer look, but Dashi opened it before she could.

“That is old,” said Dojo, his snout peering over Dashi’s shoulder. “Very old. Older than me! Where did you find it?”

“In the Jade Circle,” said Dashi, “What was left of it, anyway. I found it underneath the Grand Master’s mat. I think it can tell us how to fix the Scroll of Ages.”

“I recognize the handwriting!” said Dojo. “This is from Grand Master Haiqi, four hundred years ago! I’d recognize that chicken scratch, anywhere! Let me see it!”

Dojo handed Dashi the Scroll piece, in exchange for the jade scroll. He held it gingerly, between the tips of his claws, as his large eyes scanned the tiny scroll. 

“Yeah, I remember this!” he said, “This is from back when masters would add knowledge to the ancient scrolls, handed down from master to master. They’d copy verses from the Scroll of Ages, and write-in their own stories about what they’ve learned from their time as Xiaolin Monks. This must be the last scroll written before the practice ended! I know the Elders stopped making copies, around the time that the Heylin started coming back from out of hiding. I thought all of the copies were destroyed, to keep the information out of Heylin hands!”

“Thankfully, not this one,” said Dashi. “I recognized part of the incantation from that piece of the Scroll of Ages. Here:”

He unraveled the Scroll piece, and read aloud, “ _ Flowing as Water, Raging as Fire, Still as Earth, Roaming as Wind. Halves into Wholes, Opposites to Completion. Diving into Darkness, Rising into Light. Summer to Fall, Winter to Spring,” _

_ “Man and Nature, Black and White, Magic and Mortal, Death and Life,”  _ said Dojo. 

Dashi smiled. “You know it!”

“It’s a Xiaolin spell,” said Dojo. “It was used against-”

“Against the Heylin Sorceress Quijorna, five hundred years ago,” said Dashi. “The piece of the Scroll of Ages already gave us that information. Our problem is that we don’t have  _ any more _ pieces of the Scroll of Ages, in order for the spell to work. Any other info is probably useless, if we don’t have the rest of it.”

“That’s not true,” said Dojo. “We just need a bit of Xiaolin magic to help push the spell into motion, and the Scroll of Ages should be able to fix itself.”

“In theory,” said Dashi.

“No,” said Dojo, “I’ve seen it happen, before. I was there, during the fight with Quijorna. I was still a young dragon, but I remember it pretty clearly! The estuary was all black, just like with this spell that Wuya cast over the Temple. It was like Quijorna sucked the life out of everything. The Xaiolin Monks of that time used this spell to put life back into the earth and water, and drove away Quijorna’s darkness. If Wuya used a similar spell on the Scroll of Ages, than this incantation is what we need to fix everything!”

“But we don’t have any Xiaolin magic!” said Dashi, “Wuya destroyed it, with the Scroll of Ages!”

“Tala,” said Jia. “What about Tala?”

“Tala’s magic is  _ not _ Xaiolin!” scoffed Dashi. 

Dojo’s voice was quiet, but it still startled Jia, when he said, “Mine is.”

Dashi, looked at Dojo with disbelief. Jia’s expression mirrored his. 

“When Wuya and her sister took the magic away from the Xiaolin Dragons, I was not affected, because they couldn’t trap me inside of that spell, with the Dragons,” he explained. “I might not fight the forces of darkness much anymore, but the reason I was appointed to be guardian to the Xiaolin Temple, and the Scroll of Ages, is because I _still_ have my own Xaiolin magic.”

“So, it’s  _ not _ because you’re a hulking dragon that can shapeshift your size, at will?” asked Dashi.

Dojo smiled a little, and said, “That’s only part of the reason.” 

“How can we cast this spell?” asked Jia. “What do you need me to do?”

“You can’t,” said Dojo. “I’m sorry, Jia, but your magic isn’t Xiaolin. The Scroll of Ages won’t respond to you. It’s just gotta be me.”

“What about me?” asked Dashi. “I might not have magic, but I’m still a Xiaolin Monk. I’m still connected to the Scroll of Ages. Maybe my qi can help you.”

Dojo thought for a moment, before nodding his head. “That might work.”

“Whatever you two decide, do so quickly!” said Jia. “We don’t know if the others are even still alive!”

“What do you have to do, Doj?” asked Dashi.

“I give a bit of my magical essence to feed the spell, like kindling for a fire, then the spell takes what I give it, and does the rest on its own,” said Dojo. “That’s as simplified as I can explain it.”

Jia gasped. “You give it your essence?” 

“My magical essence, not my lifeforce,” said Dojo.

“You’re giving up a part of your magic to bring the Scroll of Ages back,” said Dashi. “If it doesn’t work, there really won’t be any more Xiaolin magic.” 

“It’s only a little piece of me,” said Dojo. “Energy, especially magical energy, is constantly turning in a natural cycle, kind of like the seasons. Why do you think there are four Xiaolin Dragons? Why do you think the Scroll of Ages even chooses new Dragons? Nature and magic are always renewing themselves. It’ll be okay.”

Jia and Dashi both gave each other worried glances. There was a deep sadness in Dashi’s eye, and Jia felt it, too. 

“I’ll get it back, eventually,” said Dojo. “I’m just moving my magic around, a little. It’s not like I’m giving it to a witch, or just getting rid of it. The Scroll of Ages needs my help, and if my magic can get it back together again, then I guess you can say that I’m just doing my job as its guardian, right?”

Dojo held out his paw to Dashi. Dashi put the Scroll piece in his palm, and took the old jade scroll from Dojo’s paw. He stepped back, holding the jade scroll with a hesitant look in his unswollen eye. 

“Put your hand over the Scroll piece,” said Dojo, “I’m about to start the incantation.”

* * *

Wuya’s smile widened, the more and more Tala’s barrier began to crack. 

“ _ You’re out of time, little girl _ ,” she said. “ _ Any moment now, and you and your friends will be nothing but crushed bones and blood. _ ”

The sound of cracking came from above, as the vines wrapped themselves even tighter around the barrier. Tala don’t bother looking up. The sound of the giants fist came down, and the dust of Tala’s magic splintering in places falling like bits of starlight all around her and Chase. Still, the barrier held its form.

Tala’s vision blurred, as she again tasted orange. 

“ _ Daija Delmora _ ,” she rasped. Another layer of blue rippled over the cracks.

Tala was breathing heavily, meeting Wuya’s eyes, though hers were so heavy that she saw mostly black at the edges of her aunt’s red hair. 

“ _ Oh, come on Tala, don’t you want to see daddy again? _ ” chided Wuya, lightly. “ _ Just let go of that spell, and all your suffering will be over. I’m only doing what you’ve wanted. You may even see your mother again, too. _ ”

“ _ No _ ,” said Tala, “ _ You _ _ will see her _ . _ And when you do, you will need to answer for what you’ve done to me and my father _ .”

“ _ Ui,  _ Chase,” she whispered, in common tongue. “When I let go, take Guan and run.”

“No,” said Chase. “We’ll stop her, together. I can’t trust you to do it, yourself.”

“Do not fight me,” said Tala. “I will die, but  _ you _ will kill Wuya. Run.”

Chase stiffened, and grew still. He slowly let go of Tala’s arm. It was so numb and heavy, that her shoulder instantly dropped. The spell loosened around her fingers. 

“Run, Chase,” she said, and let the spell drop.

“You’ll _ both _ be seeing your fathers, again.” said Wuya, with a dismissive flick of her eyes. 

She stepped away from the barrier, letting the vines drop. Cool air hit Tala’s face, as her spell splintered into peices around her feet, dusting the vines and dirt with droplets of glittering blue. 

With a bitter edge in her voice, Wuya said, “Kill them.”

Tala didn’t think. She just shoved Chase back. Chase screamed her name, as the giant’s fist came down.

Then, there was nothing. 

Yellow light pooled all around, erasing every single part of the world. There was silence for a few long seconds, before Wuya’s scream of anger rose all around Tala. The light faded, and Wuya’s screaming grew louder. Tala fell to her knees, her fingers curling around brown and green grass. 

“How?! HOW?!” Wuya howled.

Tala looked up, and froze. The giant’s fist was nothing but a formation of rock, jutting out from a lifeless pile of boulders, frozen right above her head. She crawled out from under the shadow of it, and stood up.

The sky was blue.

Tala curled and uncurled her hands, feeling energy creep back into her. Warmth traveled from her fingertips, up her arms, and into her core. Tala’s body practically hummed with it, and she felt herself growing stronger and stronger. 

Guan was also back on his feet. All of his injuries were gone. Chase stood beside him, both staring at Wuya with fierce glares. Tala took a stance, and glared at Wuya, too. 

Wuya was already in her own stance, looking between each of the the monks with a curled-lipped snarl. “I don’t know how you brats did it, but-”

A shadow circled overhead. Wuya’s eyes were wide and angry, as she watched Dojo land behind Tala, Chase, and Guan. 

Dashi sat atop Dojo’s back, encased in the soft, yellow glow of the Scroll of Ages. It was back to its old self, casing and all. Dashi, himself, was also fully healed, with no bruise in sight. He held the Scroll of Ages out in front of him, smiling smugly down at Wuya. 

“You fixed it!” hissed Wuya. “You brought it back to life! How did you do it?!”

“You aren’t the only one with the knowledge of ancient magic,” said Dashi. 

The Scroll glowed brightly, as if in agreement. 

“Face it, witch,” said Chase, “you’ve lost.”

“Only for today,” she said, darkly.

Wuya met Tala’s eye, and her lips twisted into something between a smile and a frown. She said, “You want to kill me, don’t you? For what I did to mommy and daddy?”

Tala shifted her weight, but didn’t answer her.

“And  _ you, _ pretty boy?” asked Wuya, smiling at Chase. 

Chase tensed, but it was Guan who shifted into a fighting stance, his fists raised and ready. 

“I’m sure all four of you want a pound of flesh out of me for what what I’ve done,” said Wuya, “Well, now you know how _I_ feel, and I’m not going to stop. You will be seeing me, again.”

She looked up at Dashi, cocking her head with a curious bob.

“You, Baldy, what’s your name?” she asked.

“Dashi.”

Wuya’s faint smile was almost appreciative, assessing his bravery, as she nodded her head. “Dashi. I’ll remember that.”

Wuya clapped her hands. Tala dug her heels into the dirt, shielding her eyes from the sudden blast of wind. When she put her arm down, Wuya was gone. 

The other monks looked around, confused, but Tala knew that there would be no use in looking for her. She turned back to look at Dojo. She sensed that something was off, and placed a tiny hand on his giant nose. It was velvety, like a horse’s. She didn’t like horses, but she rather liked Dojo.

“Hello,” she said.

Dojo’s smile was tired. “Hey, kid.”

“You lost something,” she said, unsure about how to ask it as a proper question. 

“So did you,” she heard Chase say. 

Tala turned around to see that he was holding her pendant. She held out both of her palms, and let him drop it into her hands. 

“I saw you hit Wuya in the face with it,” he said. “Pretty sure you broke her nose. There was quite a bit of blood on it.”

She noticed a dark spot on his sleeve. She said, hesitantly, “Thank you.”

“I’m sorry about your parents,” he said, quietly. “I don’t know if I ever told you that.”

Tala’s throat tightened, and she found herself unable to thank him, again. Chase walked away, before she could. She pulled the cord over her head, and felt the pendant’s comforting weight press against her heart.

“Guys, let’s get back to the Temple,” said Dashi. “We should make sure the Scroll of Ages is somewhere safe.”

“I agree,” said Guan. “We do not know where Wuya has gone. I think it’s best we return.”

* * *

 

 

Chase didn’t bother to wait for Dojo to land. He jumped off of the dragon’s back, his feet pounding the white snow with a wet thud, slipping on the slick as he raced down the hill. Tala watched him run, her heart pounding for him. She hoped he’d find Master Young, quickly.

The Xiaolin Temple was as large and beautiful as Tala remembered, its red roof gleaming under the sunlight of the parting clouds. She could even see the yellow roof of her suite, poking out from behind the Jade Circle. Many people were gathering in the main courtyard, looking around with bewilderment on their faces. Children cheered and played, throwing clean snow at each other, as if the havoc Wuya caused had never happened. 

Tala slipped off of Dojo’s back, scanning the crowd with guilty eyes as Dashi and Guan met the cheering people’s praises with smiling faces. Guan and Dashi each had to take one side of the Scroll of Ages to be able to carry it through the Xiaolin Temple’s threshold. 

Dojo shrunk, and draped himself over Tala’s shoulders, as she hesitantly followed the two elder boys. The cheering faded into whispers when Tala entered the gate. She felt very small, but did her best not to look it. Tala kept her head high, whispering to herself, “ _ Daija Delmora _ .”

“Don’t worry, kid,” said Dojo, “we’ll get it cleared up.”

“What did you lose, Mr. Dojo?” she asked.

“Not as much as you did.”

“Your magic?”

He seemed a little sad, when he said, “I just moved it around.”

Tala felt a little sad, too. She wasn’t sure what he meant, so maybe it was just being overwhelmed by everything that had happened, that made her want to cry. She wiped away a few tears that gathered at the corners of her eyes. 

Chase’s voice caught Tala’s attention, booming over the din of the crowd. “DAD!”

Master Young weaved between bodies, gently touching the shoulders of other masters, and smiling at the visibly shaken maids. He paused at the sound of Chase’s voice, and looked up. The master was pale, but looked completely unharmed, otherwise. When he saw Chase, his eyes widened.

Chase stopped just short of him, breathing hard. 

“You’re alive!” he cried, choking up with a happy giggle.  

Master Young stepped forward. He lifted his arms a little, and it seemed as if he were to embrace his son, but he hesitated. Master Young gave a curt nod, and stepped away, folding his hands behind his back. 

“Good work, Chase,” he said, quietly. “You’re becoming a fine warrior. I’m looking forward to calling you Grand Master, someday.”

Chase’s relieved smile dropped, and Tala watched his throat bob. He bowed to Master Young, rigidly. Tala could barely hear his voice, as he said, “Thank you, Master Young.”

She quietly came up beside him, when Master Young went back into the crowd. She watched their master bend down and shake the hand of a fragile-looking Elder, as if he hadn’t just spoken with Chase at all.

Tala touched Chase’s arm, watching Master Young smile at someone other than his own son, bitterness biting into her stomach. Chase yanked his arm away, hissing as if she had burned him, and gave Tala a dark glare, before walking away and leaving her at the edge of the crowd. She clenched the hem of her robe, watching him disappear through the sea of people.  

Dojo pat the top of Tala’s head, saying, “He’ll come around. He always does.”

He hopped off of Tala’s shoulder, and said, “I wonder if there are any spare egg-rolls lying around. I’m absolutely starving! Defeating evil really works up an appetite.”

Tala smiled at the little dragon, and watched him wriggle his way between the ankles of a few maids. She felt a little jealous at how he seemed so calm, after everything. Tala wished that she knew what Dojo had lost, and even more so wished that he hadn’t lost anything. 

“Tala!”

Tala whipped around to the desperate sound of her name, emotions swelling. Jia was clinging to the sleeves of Yuma and another maid, all of the women looking at Tala with a mix of happiness, wariness and fear.

Jia jumped out of their arms, and ran for Tala, scooping her into her arms with a cry of joy. They hugged each other tightly, melting into happy tears. 

Jia’s smile dropped, when the crowd parted in front of them. Grand Master Wei stood there, in his peacock robes, staring down at Tala from his nose. Behind him, stood all six Elders of the Council, including Master Young. The concerned smile he had for the crowd was now a hardened frown, aimed directly at her. His amber eyes were beady, and dark. 

Jia held Tala a little more tightly, though she did not dare look at the masters.Tala was more bold. She swallowed down the swelling tears, and stood up to face them. 

Grand Master Wei sighed deeply, held out the sleeve of his robe, and said, “Well, what are you waiting for? Arrest her.”

 


	33. Chapter 33

Thirty-three_ To Begin, Again

  
The light of the sun shone down on Tala, from the Jade Circle. Surrounded by the Elders, and blinded from being able to see their faces, Tala didn’t bother with looking around. She kept her head lowered, waiting in silence. 

“Do you have  _ any _ idea what you’ve done?” asked Grand Master Wei, his anger hugging the walls of the room with a tight hiss. 

Tala could not help flinching. Though his voice was steady and low, the Grand Master’s words stung her ears as if he had shouted at her. 

“You have committed heinous crimes against the Xiaolin, and against China,” he said, “You stole the Scroll of Ages, abetted a Heylin Sorceress in destroying it, placing you and your brothers, fellow Xiaolin Monks and Masters, in grave danger, _and_ you nearly caused the total dismantling of the Xaiolin Dragon Cycle! If it were not for the efforts of Dojo and Dashi, none of us would be alive, and you  _ most certainly  _ would have been killed by the very witch you helped!”

His voice rose with every accusation, until the Grand Master was standing on his feet, shouting. He stepped down from his seat, and stood in the light, over Tala. There was a fierceness in the Grand Master’s eyes, as he spoke in his quiet voice again, “We tried so hard to make you see where you belong, and you refused to accept it. What do you have to say for yourself?”

Tala lowered her eyes, whispering, “No things to say.”

“You accept these charges, then?” asked Grand Master Wei, his voice cold and drawn out, accentuating every syllable. 

Tala nodded her head, keeping her eyes to the floor. 

She felt the Grand Master’s stare on her for a few daunting seconds, before he said, “Dashi, Chase, Guan, step forward. The Council would like to hear your testimony.”

Tala backed away, to let the boys stand in the spotlight, but the Grand Master held up his palm. 

“Stay.”

Tala bit her lower lip, and stood still. Chase and Guan stood on either side of her, and Dashi stood beside Guan. She wanted to look at them, but decided it was best not to. She kept her eyes on her feet, holding her breath as the Grand Master spoke. 

“Dashi, I hear the night Wuya attacked, Tala came to your Suite. Is that correct?”

“Yes,” said Dashi. “She came to warn me.”

“About?”

“A rock giant was summoned to destroy my and the other monks’ homes, and she wanted to help me escape before I was killed.” 

The Grand Master let a few seconds of silence fall over the room, before asking, “And, how did she know of this attack?”

Tala swallowed the breath she was holding, when Dashi hesitated to answer. 

“I don’t know,” he said, quietly. 

Grand Master Wei stepped away from Dashi, and moved in front of Guan. He asked, “Guan, you have been helping Tala to learn our language, haven’t you?”

Guan’s voice was strained, “Yes.”

The Grand Master sighed, then said, “And when tutoring her, has she ever given you any reasons to doubt her loyalty to the Xiaolin?”

“I do not know what you mean, Grand Master,” said Guan.

“Did she,  _ or did she not, _ ” bit the Grand Master, coldly, “ever say anything that would have alerted you to her true intentions of helping Wuya to obtain and destroy the Scroll of Ages?”

“No,” said Guan. “She mentioned her family, missing them, but never said anything about Wuya or the Heylin.”

The Grand Master nodded. “I see.”

Tala flinched, when his shadow passed over her. Standing in front of Chase now, Grand Master Wei smiled. 

“Chase, my protégé, my brightest and most talented student,” he said, “I know  _ you _ have something to tell me."

Where Guan and Dashi seemed to be humiliated and afraid by the Grand Master’s attention, Chase stood tall and stiff. His fists were curled in so tightly, that his knuckles were white. He stared Grand Master Wei directly in the eye, and said, “I have nothing to say.”

“Yes, you do,” said the Grand Master, still smiling. “You were the closest to the little  _ witch, _ after all.”

Tala didn’t expect Chase to flinch at that word, too. He didn’t stop meeting the Grand Master’s smile, regardless. Chase breathed in, deeply. 

He said, “I admit that I don’t know of Tala’s intentions, that night. I did not see her, until after the Xiaolin Temple had been destroyed.  I’m sorry, Grand Master, but I can’t give you a testimony based solely on an assumption of someone else’s thoughts. It’s  _ wrong _ .”

The Grand Master smacked his lips, and cleared his throat. He said, “That is disappointing, but I understand. Tell me, then. When Tala was chosen to become a Xiaolin Trainee, were you not assigned to protect her, until she was able to control her magic and use it for the good of the Xiaolin?”

“I was.”

“And during that time, did she practice her magic willingly, knowing that it would be used to aid us against the Heylin?”

“You should be asking her that,” said Chase.

“I am asking  _ you _ ,” said the Grand Master. “You were tutoring Tala in martial arts. You  _ must _ have known how she felt, especially since the two of you have become such good friends.”

“We aren’t friends,” said Chase. “You ordered me to protect her, and that’s what I did.”

“You are protecting her, now,” said the Grand Master, suspicion darkening his eyes. 

“I’m not,” said Chase. “My loyalty is to the Xiaolin. I only refuse to lie. Given the chance, I would step down from my duty as Tala’s guardian, immediately.”

“Then,  _ tell  _ me the  _ truth _ !” snapped the Grand Master. “Has Tala Bao ever shown signs of betraying us, while under your care? Did she mention  _ anything _ about Wuya, or the Scroll of Ages?”

The room was so quiet that Tala could hear Chase’s breathing, beside her. 

“ _ No _ ,” said Chase, the word grinding into a growl, “not until the night she stole the Scroll of Ages from the Jade Circle.”

Grand Master Wei’s breath shuddered as he bit back his anger and turned away from Chase, the hems of his sleeves and robe flaring up. The gold embroidery shimmerd in the light. 

“As none of you want to give me any answers,” said the Grand Master, “I’ll just have to ask the traitor, myself.”

He stood in front of Tala, and said, “When did you fist meet the Heylin Sorceress, Wuya?”

Tala refused to shrink, copying Chase’s confidence with rigid shoulders. 

“Months past,” she said. “ _ Jo _ , Grand Master, I did not mean for-”

“Silence!” he hissed. “Answer only my questions. Your _ life  _ depends on them. What did she offer you, for you to turn your back on the very people who took you in and gave you a home, hmm? Was it power?”

“No!”

“Fame? Wealth?” asked the Grand Master, “Did she offer for you to stand by her side, as she enslaved all of China?”

“No!” said Tala. “No things, like that!”

“What was so important, that you betrayed everyone who trusted you? Who cared for you?” asked the Grand Master, “ _ Why _ ?”

“Papa!” said Tala, “She said she knew where Papa was!”

The Grand Master took a step back, his voice very, very quiet. “...Papa?”

There was something in his eyes, something sharp and understanding. It made Tala’s hair stand on end. It reminded her of Wuya. 

The Grand Master’s hard, angry frown turned into a smile. He said, with a twinkle in his eye,  “You were looking for your father. Oh, my dear, I am so sorry. You must have felt so frightened, if you could not even ask us to help you. I should have realized. A child torn away from her father, and given such a heavy burden as a Xiaolin Monk, on top of it.. No wonder you kept us all at such a length. It was a cry for help! One, I admit, that I did not notice, and for that, I’ve failed you as your Grand Master. However,”

Grand Master Wei turned to the other Elders.

“Master Young,” he said, “I am afraid that  _ this _ is on you.”

Master Young rushed to his feet. “Grand Master!”

Grand Master Wei held up his hand, cutting Master Young’s protests short. 

“Keyota, I have come to understand that you have been  _ tremendously _ hard on this girl, throughout her training with you,” he said. “It is because of your harshness that she felt the need to reach out to our enemies, instead of asking for help from the master she was supposed to have trusted. In short, this has all just been a  _ terrible _ misunderstanding. One that nearly cost us everything.”

He placed a hand on Tala’s shoulder, his rings glittering under the light. He squeezed a little at her neck, as he smiled warmly at her. That strange look in his eyes, the sharpness, remained. She felt cold everywhere, but where he touched her. The grandiose way that the Grand Master  had spoken, the way he so suddenly began to defend her, made the pit of Tala’s stomach sour. She wasn’t sure if he really thought she was innocent, or if there was another reason for his sympathetic smile. 

Chase was still tense beside Tala, and sneaking a quick glance at him, she could see that his jaw was clenched very hard. 

“Tala will be working closely with me, from now on,” said the Grand Master, “to be sure that she will no longer be in danger of being manipulated and tempted by the Heylin, and so that this horrible near-tragedy will never happen again.”

He turned back to the Elders, and said, “Tala Bao will continue her Xaiolin training under the tutelage of Master Young, but in her down time, she will be accompanying me. I will take over her speech tutoring from Guan, and I will  _ remind _ her what it truly means to become a Xiaolin Monk. Is my judgement satisfactory?”

“Grand Master, with all due respect, ” said Master Young, “Tala Bao betrayed us! Not just us, but all of China! She even had several of us killed by that witch,  _ you _ included, and the only punishment you see fit for her is a slap on the wrist?! If the Emperor knew of this-”

“Then, it is a good thing that Wuya’s plight did not reach the capitol,” said Grand Master Wei. “I will send word to the masters at the other monastery. The Emperor does not need to know what has happened, now that everything has been fixed. We do not need imperial soldiers to darken our doorstep, so soon after encountering Wuya. Our young Xiaolin Warriors have been through enough, don’t you agree, Master Young?”

“Yes,” said Master Young, “but Tala-”

“Tala is a  _ child, _ who made a mistake out of fear. Fear -might I add- of _ you, _ Master Young,” said the Grand Master. The fire in his eyes was gone, replaced with his usually calm demeanor. “Tala Bao will pay for that mistake, through service to me. She will be taking care of my library, and will continue learning how to read and write through maintaining my personal manuscripts. In doing so, I trust that she will learn the proper values of what it means to be Xiaolin, and will realign her priorities into becoming the best Xaiolin Dragon that she can be.”

“The child is dangerous,” said Master Young, “She’s proven that! She should, at the very least, be locked away!” 

“Dangerous?” Grand Master Wei scoffed. “The  _ only _ reason Tala is dangerous, is because  _ you _ failed, as her master, to protect her, and  _ she _ moved on to a master that she felt would: Wuya.  _ I’m _ only hoping to heal the wounds that  _ you _ have inflicted, by giving this terrified, traumatized child a chance to redeem herself and feel safe with us, again. If you want to see the Xiaolin Cycle reach its full potential, Master Young, you  _ will _ allow me to do this. Now,  _ is _ my judgement  _ satisfactory _ ?”

Master Young blinked rapidly, straightening himself. He looked down at Tala, but she was not brave enough to meet his worried glance. 

“...Yes,” said Master Young.

“All, rise,” said Grand Master Wei. 

When the Elders all stood, Grand Master Wei held his hands behind his back. Tala watched him play with the rings on his fingers, twisting each one, before saying, “Tala Bao is absolved of her crimes. She will perform community service in her free time as my library assistant, until a time that I have decided. If any of you are in objection, say it now.”

When Chase moved his arm, Tala grabbed it. He linked their fingers together. 

* * *

A small shrine had been put up in the small, gated yard behind Tala’s suite. The Grand Master allowed for two blossoming saplings to be planted on either side of it, to promote good fortune from the spirits Tala would pray to, there. Spring was approaching, so there was a hope that they would take to the already softening soil.

“The last few weeks have been rather mild. It won’t be long before fresh grass pokes out of the ground,” said Jia, helping Tala to pat the earth down around the second sapling. “They should grow nicely, and you might see some flowers, by the end of summer.”

Tala sat back, wiping the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand. 

“ _ Ui _ ,” she said, “thank you, for helping me.”

“I’m the only one who would,” she said, in the matter-of-fact sort of way that made Tala blush. 

“I do not blame them,” said Tala. 

She looked over her shoulder, meeting Chase’s eyes. He looked away, pretending to be unbothered by it. He leaned against the doorframe, watching a butterfly. 

“Just hurry up,” he said. “This is my last day of my duty as your guardian. I want to get it over with.”

“Too early for butterflies,” said Jia, watching the little, yellow butterfly land on Tala’s shoulder. “Grandmother once told me that if a butterfly flies in winter, we’ll have a warm spring. It’s good luck.”

“Hope so,” said Tala, watching it fly off. 

She started to pat at the soil again, saying, “Spring will be better.”

Chase scoffed. Jia glared at him, and helped Tala finish pushing dirt over the sapling’s roots. 

“Do you have anything of your father’s that we can put on the shrine?” she asked, clapping the dirt off of her hands. 

Tala shook her head. 

“Just Mama,” she said, pulling the pendant out from beneath her collar. 

Jia smiled sympathetically, and gently took it from Tala’s hand. 

“This should do,” she said, “Let’s get started.”

They stood up, and faced the little, white shrine. There wasn’t much to it. A bowl of fruit, a bronze phoenix statue, and now, Mama’s pendant, sitting on a ledge above a vase of incense sticks. Jia lit one, and Tala watched the curling smoke jump into the air before settling into a steady stream. 

“Fold your hands like this,” said Jia, holding the palms of her hands flat, together. 

Tala hesitated, seeing red hair and green eyes for a moment, instead of her friend. 

“Are you alright, Tala?” asked Jia.

Tala nodded, shaking away the memory of Wuya and her lessons, with a smile. She folded her hands, and they bowed to the shrine, together. 

“Now, you say a prayer for your family,” said Jia. 

“Please watch over me,” said Tala, hesitantly. Her throat tightened, as she struggled to think of the right words.

“You don’t have to say it out loud, if you don’t want to,” said Jia, gently. 

Tala nodded her head, trying her best not to cry, and said, “Want to be better. For them. Want to help, be a good monk.. I do not make sense.”

“You do,” said Jia, nudging Tala’s shoulder. 

Tala sniffed, and wiped away her tears. “I do not know much about Mama, or Wuya, but I will make right all the bad that I made.”

“I don’t see how you can,” said Chase, “not from where I’m standing.”

Tala rushed to her feet. She walked back to her suite, and ducked under Chase’s arm to get back inside. She rubbed at her eyes, half for the tears, and half because they needed to readjust to the darkness. 

“ _ Ceuyao, _ ” she hissed. 

Tala heard Jia shouting at Chase outside, but she didn’t bother with really listening. She took one of her hair brushes and tossed it across the room. It hit the wall, and clattered into a pile of things she had yet to put away. It knocked something from the pile. Her fan hit the floor. 

Tala picked it up, running her thumb over her own name, the black wood shining under the sunlight coming in from the window. She snapped the fan open. She could see through it in the sunlight, every piece of wood that held its folds together. The red cloth reminded her of Wuya’s hair, and the black shadows of its skeleton made her think of Wuya’s tattoos. Tala thought, for a moment, that she could smell cinnamon.  

She twirled it a few times, listening to its metal blade whizz through the air as she pretended to fight an invisible enemy. A sideswipe, a roundhouse kick, a slice to the throat. Then, she snapped the fan closed. The next time she would use this fan, Tala decided, it would be to get rid of Wuya for good. 

She read her name on its side one last time, before dropping it into the trunk, and closing the lid. 


	34. An Author's Note, too long to put as an 'Author's Note'

About scheduling updates, and my sincerest thanks:

XR has been in development for almost as long as since XS has ended, so that’s roughly ten years, I think. This project is my baby, and my main fan-work outlet pretty much since  _ Time After Time _ aired and inspired me to do my own take on Chase/Dashi/Guan’s time as Xiaolin monks, and I’ve been trying to make it perfect ever since.  I’ve put this poor thing through so many rewrites and re-plots, and re- _ everything _ , yet all of those rewrites never quite lived up to the first draft’s hype, probably because I was fresh from watching the show for the first time, and was all glittery-eyed about seeing Chase, Guan, and Dashi together. 

This current run is actually my fifth attempt to write everything out since 2007/08, and to be honest, the last installment (I believe I wrote in 2014?) aged like milk left out in the sun, at least in this humble writer’s opinion. I had a lot of ideas that I didn’t quite know how to focus on, left half of them open ended, rushed through it, and… let’s just say that it wasn’t the best thing I’ve ever written, especially since I liked its simpler version that I wrote as a kid much better. Still, I couldn’t just let this thing die a peaceful death, at least not like…  _ that. _ Some of you reading this may have even recognized Tala from my earlier drafts on FF.net (and Livejournal before that, I think) while her story was under different titles. Yeah, it’s me. How ya doin? You’re probably like “Oh jeez, they're at it again,” but I swear this is my last rewrite. I promise. 

I’d also like to give a warm shout-out to  **Dragonnutt,** who gave me a few notes a while back on ‘the fic this used to be’ while it was still on FF.net. I wasn’t happy with it, wanted to rewrite it (again), and Dragonnutt gave me a few pointers on how to make it more cohesive, and point everything to a common idea at the end. I took some of their notes about the Xiaolin Monks’ relationships with each other, as well as a few ideas about pulling from XC, and applied them to this newer version, making it much bigger, and hopefully better than last time, placing each idea into its own mini plot/ season. So thank you, Dragonnutt, for all of your help! You have inspired me to make this world even bigger than I had originally thought it could be! You’re awesome!

This fic spans over a wide array of headcanons and loose ideas, so instead of posting chapter by chapter, I’ll be posting it season by season. There are about 20-30 or more chapters per season, and I’d rather give you every chapter of each season at once instead of making you wait between chapter updates while I work to connect everything from season-to-season and later fics. I’m estimating this fic to have at the very least 100 chapters in total, if not even more than that. (Yes, I am crazy. Don’t worry, I enjoy doing this.)

I’m currently planning on having _five seasons_ in total for XR, so if something wasn’t explained in season one, or something felt unfinished to you, it will be addressed in later seasons or another fic altogether. I plan on writing  two more fics regarding this strange in-between universe (a Wuya backstory prequel, and a sequel of sorts for XR, regarding the generation of monks in XS), so there is going to be a lot of ground to cover. 

I consider XR and its connecting fics as their own alternate timeline to the XS/XC universes, since XC has its own canon explanation for some things, and I had to omit/ bend some stuff from XC to make this overall story work. What I love most about Dashi, Guan, and Chase is that there isn’t a lot known about them, so there is a lot that you can get creative with.

I loved coming up with ideas for their backstories and team dynamic, and their relationships with others at the Xiaolin Temple. I’ve added a few things from XC canon to this fic, which will be seen most in later seasons, but there  _ are  _ some things I’d rather not mention...Eon, for one, because adding him throws a wrench into the story that I had wanted to tell for Chase. I’m sticking to the XS version of his backstory, with Hannibal Bean tempting Chase to turn to the Heylin side through his relationship to his friends, specifically Guan. Sorry, Eon. I liked you, I really did. 

What I had always hoped for in XS, but unfortunately didn’t really get to see, was seeing a season being devoted to each of the main four monks’ character arcs and diving deep into their backstories, their character development, and reasons for becoming monks, so that’s what I’m aspiring for in this fic. I plan on having four out the five seasons focus on each of these guys. The first season was naturally handed to Tala, since she’s introduced to the team first thing, making season 1 a little bit more OC heavy as she explored different aspects of the Temple’s culture and characters. Season 2 is a lot more heavy on worldbuilding and focuses a lot on Dashi, and ties up some loose ends from Tala’s season. Season 2 is also mostly planned around rebuilding team dynamic after the damage caused in season 1. Season 3 goes back to being a lot more character-centric, and focuses mostly on Dashi’s character development, and the next two after that will focus on Guan and Chase, specifically. I really wanted to give these guys each their own major focus in at least one season before the finale in season five where it all wraps up together, so I hope that you’ll stick around a little bit longer, even if season 1 wasn’t all that you were hoping for. The reason this fic is going to be so long (and take forever to post in its entirety) is that I’m basically writing whole books based around each of the four main characters. 

Notes on Tala’s language learning : 

Because Tala has always been a multilingual character, I thought it would be fun for me to try my hand at having her actually learn the ‘common tongue’ of the region where the Xiaolin Temple stands, instead of already knowing all three of her main languages from the get-go of the fic. I felt that it would help her relationships develop a lot more with the other three monks if she both struggles against their patience and leans on them for support, especially since their beginning friendships are pretty rocky, and opinions on one another tend to flip flop, even within the same chapter. 

As someone who both reads, writes, and speaks conversationally in a tonal language as a second language, and is in the middle of learning a third, I found it very fun to write out Tala’s journey to lean the local language of the Temple. I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t give a sympathetic giggle as she struggled to speak to her friends, and they completely had no idea what she was saying, or simply just avoided correcting her when she spoke off-base. I know fist-hand how embarrassing it is for your native-speaking friends to smile awkwardly and look away as if they don’t know you, when you’re trying to say something a bit more complicated than “hey, buddy!” or “pass the pat krapao muu, please!”

My biggest challenge with Tala’s language barrier was helping her to transition from having a large vocabulary of words and understanding what was being said to her when spoken at a slower pace, to _ actually  _ being able to speak the new language out loud and be understood by the native speakers (almost) fluently. I chose this little in-between phase as her starting point, because of how the story was rapidly progressing. 

I chose to have most of Tala’s mistakes, instead, come from others speaking too fast for her to catch, or too long for her to care. The majority of the verbal misunderstandings in Tala’s relationships are on her end, thanks to having the words but being too lazy (or simply not knowing how, in some cases) to speak in the clearest manner. She’s slowly-but-surely getting better at communicating with the others, which will be more apparent in Season 2. 

Now, as for why her father spoke Gaeilge, I would like to tell you that you’ll understand somewhere down the line in XR, but her dad is actually a character from another fic that I’m planning in the future, which focuses on Wuya’s backstory. I’m bringing both him and Wuya’s sister back for it, as a bit of a prequel to the events seen in this first season. I’ve been building  this universe and characters for a while now, so it’s a very big universe of smashed-together headcanons and my own world building ideas to connect everything together. Don’t worry, I’ll answer your questions about Tala’s parents and their relationships to Wuya in another fic/installment of this universe, once I’m finished with XR. 

Notes on the Heylin witch language, Wupoyisho : 

While I realize that I’m no J.R.R. Tolkien, I wanted to make a brand new language for the Heylin witches because I didn’t want to associate any known language or culture with the ‘evil’ race. Creating Wupoyisho was difficult in its beginning phases, and my time writing this season was heavily spent on the research of different Asiatic languages and root Chinese words to make a mishmash of Eastern and South Eastern sounds, tones, and cultural influences. It took me five months _ just _ to get the overall idea I wanted, let alone speaking it out loud with believable tones. Ya’ll wouldn’t believe how hard it was to figure that part out. I gave Wupoyisho  _ five _ tones, purely for the aesthetic and authenticity. (Again, yes I am crazy, and yes I enjoy doing this).

I even made my own writing script for for Wupoyisho. You’ll be able to find some samples on my Tumblr for how it looks written down, if you’re interested in that sort of thing. I have at least fifty loose pages, and five filled notebooks with the alphabet, sentence structure, and sample dialogues. It’s not exactly perfect yet, and I’m still discovering new words each day, but Wupoyisho is a continuous work-in-progress, and probably will be up until the final fic in this series ends. I’d love to create some spoken samples for you guys too, but I don’t have the equipment for it. Most of my spoken samples are recorded on my phone, but I’d like to eventually get it onto my blog. Maybe someday. *wistful sigh*

One of my headcanons for the witches is that they originated somewhere in the mountains of Southeast Asia. I’ve spent some time living in Northern Thailand, and the more I explored its countryside, the more that beautiful region helped me to shape this originally  _ very _ vague headcanon in my head. I could imagine seeing the witches living in the beautiful jungle mountains, and building giant structures and monuments to their deities, spirits, and heroes on tops of waterfalls and into the sides of cliffs, lighting up the green hills with their colorful magic, but I didn’t want them to actually *be* from this region specifically, because of who these characters were and what they represented. I did my best to create something unique-yet-recognizable with the words you see used, and left the rest to the imagination in the conversations that you didn’t. 

Those conversations throughout the story where you don’t see the words or phrases that I made for Wupoyisho were _ italicized  _ to help you pick up what was spoken in Wupoyisho between two characters, and I hope that was made clear enough for you guys to follow, especially since Tala (and Wuya, even more so) liked to switch between languages quite a bit, and since you guys don’t know Wupoyisho like I do, I didn’t want to make it completely unreadable. 

My main reason for having the Heylin witches speak their own language was because I wanted to show how completely different their culture is to the humans you meet in this universe, and language is a big part of it, especially in the different words they use for certain subjects, such is the case for the difference between the ‘thief/traitor’  _ Zeiyo _ to Wuya, and the more neutral  ‘person’  _ Khoren _ to Tala, both meaning ‘human’ in Wupoyiso. I felt  these words would help to give some perspective on my vision of Wuya’s clan’s culture. 

I loved building up the witch culture in this season, and there is going to be much more of it seen in season 2,  as well as more background on the Xiaolin Dragons’ mysterious Monk of Light, who defeated the Celestial Beasts. I’m very excited to begin working on season 2!

I apologize for the long-winded author’s note, but I hope it helped to clear up a few things that might have confused or concerned you. I sincerely thank you for taking the time to read through season 1, and I hope to see you again in Season 2! 

-Microraptor


	35. Season 2 Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So, I know I said that I was going to update all of the seasons together at once instead of chapter-by-chapter, but life tends to find a way to kick you in the ass. I've had chapter one of season 2 done since I posted season 1, and as I don't see myself getting much more progress done in the near future (I'm back in college, and I have ZERO time to write as much as I did during S1), I will post this fic chapter-by-chapter when I can.   
> Sorry for the inconvenience.

**Season Two**

 

“ _ The morning light was blocked by dusty, dirty blinds, and I could hear your vodka kisses shouting fight, fight, fight, fight! _ ”- Marigold, Mother Falcon

Chapter one_  Springtime At the Xiaolin Temple 

Early March draped itself quietly over the heads of the Three Hills as a blanket of green. Jia had been right about an early spring, and like the butterfly that had predicted spring’s timely arrival, its white and yellow cousins danced around growing bushes and flowering patches of wild grass that were scattered around the lower valley. 

Wheatgrass poked through their white stalks in long shoots, and the rice fields were like scattered mirrors on the ground, reflecting clouds off of the overnight rain. Wild scallions grew alongside the Temple’s gate, their dark tendrils and purple blossoms reaching high among the bushes that lined the bamboo groves. 

The sun shone over the Xiaolin Temple, glittering against rain puddles  and darkened Training Sands. Buds covered the branches of trees. One tree in particular took to the sun with over-eagerness. Its pink flowers bloomed a tad too early, and birds were already gathering among its branches. 

Tala squinted at a very peculiar bird as it stared down at her from that tree with beady eyes. The curious thing was a patchwork of colors. His green body almost blended in with the leaves, but the bird’s wings were too bright of a blue for him to hide properly, and she spotted him rather easily. 

The bird almost seemed to be a painted doll, only coming to life when the feathers of its red crest raised ever-so-slightly. With a reptilian hiss, the bird peered a bit more closely at Tala, its beady eyes giving her an uneasy feeling. 

She was jostled by an elbow to her back. Her cry startled the bird from his perch, and he took off, flying above Chase’s head. She watched it fly off, avoiding Chase’s glare.

Tala opened her mouth to speak, but Chase was already stomping ahead of her with a hard glare and a set jaw, watching as the bird disappeared over the bamboo grove. She waited until he was out of sight before jogging after him. She didn’t want to walk with Chase to class, but she didn’t want to be late to it, either. 

She had only just made it around the grove, her eyes set on the Sands’ signature circle when she heard Master Young clear his throat. Tala stopped in her tracks and gave a deep bow the second her eyes accidentally met his. 

He was walking away from her before Tala could straighten herself. Tala’s heart sank, watching Master Young stand before the other students without so much as a glance at her. He didn’t even acknowledge his own student. In fact, Master Young seemed to be making a point of it, returning Chase’s bow and then Guan’s. He even bowed to Dashi, who he was always so normally quick to scold for hardly ever showing up. 

Tala took a seat beside Dashi. He inched away, keeping his eyes on Master Young. None of the other monks even looked at Tala. She inched away a little herself, giving Dashi quite a bit more space than necessary. Though, judging by the sullenness of his face, perhaps it  _ was _ necessary. 

She shouldn’t have been surprised. It had been months since Wuya invaded and fled the Xiaolin Temple, and most of the blame had been shifted to Tala, despite Grand Master Wei vouching for her, saying that Tala’s part in it had all been a terrible misunderstanding. Even though the Grand Master’s word had kept the masters, Master Young especially, from outright doing anything to hurt Tala, the growing silence between them somehow felt worse. All she had wanted to do since her trial was to apologize to him and her fellow monks, but Master Young had not even allowed her the opportunity to do that. The other monks, apparently, felt the same way. 

Tala joined the others in their final bow to Master Young, touching her forehead to the tips of her fingers. When he told them all to rise, she did. 

“Chase and Guan will spar first,” said Master Young, “and then Dashi will spar with whoever comes out the victor.”

“Master Young, what should I-”

Tala’s throat tightened as she cut herself off. Master Young had ignored her again, turning his back to walk over to the standing gong on the other side of the sand pit. 

Chase and Guan rushed to their feet and headed for the sand circle as well, neither one acknowledging her question, either. 

Dashi leaned back on his hands and sighed deeply. Tala noticed that there were deep pockets of grey beneath his eyes. She wondered if he hadn’t been sleeping, if he had nightmares too. Guilt bit into her stomach, knowing that nearly dying in his own house because of her was a likely cause. She turned away, resting her head on her knees. No wonder nobody wanted anything to do with her.

Tala watched Guan and Chase spar for a few minutes, then got to her feet. Dashi didn’t even look up at her. He kept watching the spar with tired eyes. In fact, nobody cared to notice her. 

It was a little freeing, being able to walk away from the Training Sands without being yelled at by Master Young. She kept her pace slow, testing it, wincing as she waited for Master Young to scream out her rank like he always did, but there was…  _ nothing _ . Just his voice carrying above the bamboo as he barked orders at Guan and Chase to fix their footing. 

Tala broke into a run, wet pebbles splashing into the puddles. If Master Young didn’t want to train her, she could at least keep up some exercise. 

Tala took the path closest to the stable, hoping that Jun was around. She slowed her pace, recognizing two maids taking their time, walking and talking with each other along the path ahead of her. One had her hair braided loosely, tied neatly at the bottom with a strip of patterned cloth. The other held her hair in a high, braided bun. Tala smiled and quietly moved to the grass along the pebbly path. She snuck up on them, and roared loudly, grabbing one of the girls around the middle.

They both shrieked, the long-haired girl jumping a good couple of inches back. The girl Tala held captive cried out Tala’s name, angrily.

“ _ Ui! _ ” Tala squealed, hugging her tight. 

Tala looked up at the other girl, whose eyes were wide and untrusting. She said, with a shaking voice, “Jia.. is that?” 

Tala hugged Jia little more tightly as she stared right back at the girl, puffing air into her cheeks with a huff.

“It’s fine,” said Jia, grinding out a sigh.

Tala felt a little surge of triumph that her friend was defending her, making the sting a little more painful when Jia unwound Tala’s arms from around her middle, then took the other girl’s wrist with an angry glare at Tala. She started walking down the path, dragging the other girl along.

Tala walked after them, not sure why Jia was so mad. 

“ _ Ui _ , wait!” said Tala. “Are you going to see Jun, too?”

Jia spun around, making the poor girl whose arm she gripped tightly turn sharply with her. The girl flailed her other arm a bit, in order to keep her balance. 

“Shouldn’t you be in class?” snapped Jia.

Tala stopped walking. Jia’s cheeks were flushed, and her eyes shifted every few seconds to the bamboo or to the path behind Tala. 

“ _ Ui, _ you are in trouble?” asked Tala. “I can help!”

“No!” said the other maid. She was shaking, and twice as red-faced as Jia. “Just go away!”

“Rushi, stop,” said Jia. “Tala won’t tell.”

That’s when Tala noticed that Rushi was holding Jia’s hand, and was pressing herself as close to Jia as she possibly could. Jia stood stiffly, her free arm raised protectively. 

“...Oh.”

Tala’s spirit sank, and her cheeks turned hot when she remembered kissing Jia. Now she understood why Jia had rejected her, piecing together the rest of the clues. Even though Tala was the one standing there, Jia turned her body as if to block her from Rushi with a warning glint in her eyes. Jia wasn’t mad at Tala, she was scared of not being able to protect Rushi. 

Tala backed up a little, her eyes trailing upward to the other girl’s face, a lump of jealousy swelling in her throat. 

Now that Tala had taken a minute to look at her, Rushi was a very pretty girl. She was even prettier than Jia, something Tala didn’t believe was possible, at least not until today. Rushi had a soft face and big eyes, and hair that was smooth and shiny. She was the kind of beauty written about by the ancient poetry that described angels and goddesses.

Tala seized up with the heart-wrenching realization that she was Rushi’s opposite in every way: short, chubby and dark, with frayed, curly hair that she could hardly braid without any fly-aways. There was no competing with someone as nearly perfect as Rushi.

Tala hugged herself. She said, quietly, “I will go.  _ Ui, _ sorry.”

“Tala, wait,” said Jia.

The sudden jerk of Jia grabbing Tala’s sleeve was enough to shock her into a near fit of tears. She rubbed at the ones that sprang up, and looked at Jia, biting at her frown. 

“Promise me you won’t tell anyone about this,” said Jia. “We came down this path because no one was  _ supposed  _ to be here. No one comes here when the Dragon Apprentices are training. We didn’t want anyone to know. Ma Yuma would have a fit if-”

Tala yanked her arm away. 

“Fine,” she said through clenched teeth. She wanted to stay angry, but with being ignored by everyone else, the rejection hurt too much. Tala tried to bite back her tears but a few fell down, and so her face crumbled. 

Jia pulled Tala into a hug, murmuring, “Don’t cry. It’s alright.”

“I am alone!” Tala cried, clinging to Jia’s shoulder. “Noperson wants me! Not Master Young, not the boys, not you!”

“You  _ aren’t  _ alone,” said Jia, pulling away, and holding Tala by her shoulders. “You’re still my friend. You understand, don’t you? Besides, I’m too old for you. I’ve known Rushi for far longer, too.”

Tala’s stomach twisted, shock and anger making her eyes narrow. “...We are the same age.”

Jia leaned back, surprise all over her face. There were a thousand things it seemed she wanted to say as her eyelids lowered, and her shock wore off, but instead settled for, “No, you’re nine.”

“Thirteen, soon,” said Tala, her face growing hot. She was only made angrier by the fact that she didn’t know how to say that she would be thirteen at the end of the month. She couldn’t remember what this month was called in common tongue. 

Jia took a step back, awkwardly smiling and looking at her feet. “This whole time, I saw you as my little sister.”

“Know I am small,” said Tala, “but I am not a child! I feel, too!”

“I know, but-”

Tala felt a headache coming on and held the sides of her head. “ _ Ui  _ thought I was a _ baby _ ?”

“Not a  _ baby _ , but Tala, you’re just so- and you were struggling so much to speak, that I thought- and you’re just so _ tiny- _ I mean,  _ of course, _ I thought that you were younger. You can’t blame me for-”

“I cannot speak well, yes,” snapped Tala, “but I am not stupid, and I am not a child! I am only small for my age!”

“I’m sorry, Tala,” said Jia. “I didn’t mean to make you upset, but you  _ really _ need to calm down. No one can find us here, please!”

“Jia, you don’t have to defend yourself from a traitor,” hissed Rushi, “Let’s just go! Someone could have heard us, by now!”

Jia turned back to Rushi, and said, “Don’t call her that! You don’t know what happened!”

Tala glared at Rushi. Rushi even looked pretty when she was crying. The thought made Tala’s jaw set tightly. She then glared back at Jia, swallowing down what she wanted to say. 

“ _ Ui, _ go with Rushi,” she said, biting every word. “Sorry to ruin your date.”

Tala stomped ahead, crushing the pebbles beneath her feet. Rushi curled into herself as Tala passed, and Tala felt the maid’s eyes watching her, even as she marched up the path. 

Tala’s breath quickened, hundreds of thoughts racing, thinking back to all of the times Jia talked to her, or helped her, and realized that, no, Jia had not taken her seriously. Jia had never seen her as her equal. The worst part was, she was the only person Tala  _ did _ think saw her that way. That very thought hung inside her chest, clinging to it tightly, and refused to let go until it was the only thought left inside of her head: She had no one. 

Tala broke into a run, racing the tears streaming down her face. 

* * *

Tala stiffened when the maid plucked at her eyebrow with tweezers. She ripped her hand away from another, who had ripped the skin from Tala’s finger while cleaning her nails. The hand-maid lifted her hands, eyes wide, watching Tala’s curled fist hover in the air. Neither of them said anything, and Tala slowly handed her hand back to the girl. The maid was visibly shaking, making Tala’s whole arm vibrate as she continued to work.

Tala sighed, and looked up to the ceiling. The Elders had thought it necessary for her to go through yet another cleansing process before even getting close to the Grand Master again. They had claimed it was because Wuya’s Heylin qi may have contaminated Tala’s, and it would be wise to make sure no more of the witch’s darkness had remained, like it was some invisible stain that everybody else could see but her. 

Tala wasted three months coming to this room, spending five hours a day with these maids, vigorously being cleaned and rubbed down with smelly oils, perfumes, and salts, all of them too flowery for her to really enjoy soaking in. Still, Tala closed her eyes again, wondering if speaking with Grand Master Wei was even worth it. He seemed sympathetic at her trial after she’d told them why she did what she did...but so had the  _ boys _ , and they were still very, very angry with her. Tala’s stomach flipped at the thought. Would the Grand Master reject her, too?

The maid behind her, the one plucking her eyebrows clean, began smudging charcoal into to dots where they used to be, and lifted Tala’s chin to begin massaging some sort of powder into her neck. She took the rest on her hands and pat Tala’s cheeks a bit hard, making them sting. 

“It is time to dress you, Honored Trainee,” she said, flatly. “Step out of the tub. The Grand Master must not be left waiting.”

Tala sighed, sitting up. She felt the hand-maid flinch again as Tala withdrew her palm. Tala didn’t bother looking at her. She ignored the open hand of the maid who had spoken to her too, not caring about rudeness. Chase had been right about  _ something,  _ at least; They are only maids, so who cares what they think? 

Yanking the towel from the maid’s other hand, Tala wrapped it around herself and pulled out the fresh yellow robes from the pile by the golden door, but the maid she had ignored gently placed her hand over them. Tala snapped a glare at her.

“What are you-” she began to snarl, but the maid slowly shook her head. 

The trembling maid bowed deeply, presenting a box to Tala, and whispered, “Th-the Grand Master a-and the Elder Council req-quest that you wear this, H-honored Trainee.” 

Tala’s nose scrunched with confusion, but she took the box. Inside was a completely new set of robes. Tala pulled them out, wonder filling the gaps in her eyes that the moved tears didn’t fill. The robes looked to be her size, instead of two sizes too big like the ones she was used to wearing. Their color was richer too, a bright goldenrod to replace the faded, near-white yellow. Even the black training sash was new. The Grand Master had finally made good on his promise to have proper robes made for her! Perhaps he wasn’t angry!

Tala quickly rushed behind the curtain to try them on, struggling to pull her arms through the sleeves as she ducked for cover. She hastily got the belt around her waist, fighting an excited smile, and tightened the new arm wraps, though she awkwardly fumbled with them. Her old ones had been burned in her fight with Wuya, and she’d been going without them since. It wasn’t as if she’d been allowed to really train anyway, but it felt good to have them back. 

Tala slowly walked out from behind the curtain, readjusting the bands on her wrists. She jerked her head up to the small gasp of one of the maids, her face going red at how wide the girls’ eyes were. The elder one had a slight smile on her face. 

Instead of acknowledging it, or them, Tala took the pin out of her hair, and let it down. She began to braid it herself, shooing away the unsure hands of the girl who had gasped and just took the ties from the other maid’s hand instead.

Tala paused for a moment, remembering when Jia had helped her with her braids for the first time. Embarrassment from that morning came back with a fresh vengeance, and Tala cursed herself for ever being so stupid with her feelings.

She paused again, scrutinizing the ‘bunny braids,’ as Jia liked to call them, with squinting eyes. She thought, ‘No wonder Jia only sees me as a child. Look at my hair.’

Tala took her hair down, and the maids both stiffened.

“Honored Trainee,” said the elder of the two, but Tala waved her hands off as the maid reached for her head. 

The only thing the maids could do was watch as Tala huffed and hissed at herself for tangling and pulling at her own hair over and over again until she got it right. After a few minutes of frustrated struggling and sore arms, she finally managed to pull her hair back into a single pleat. Tala stood proudly, even with the fly-aways framing her face. 

“Do I look bigger-I mean- older?” asked Tala, turning to the maids.

They both seemed confused by what she said, but not a moment later, the elder of the two sighed, nodding her head, and the younger held up a nervous, visibly shaking thumb-up. Tala rolled her eyes, but accepted it. 

Maybe the Grand Master would be impressed. She certainly hoped that Jia would be.

* * *

“I’m glad to see that you’ve received your new robes, Trainee,” said the Grand Master.

Tala trailed behind him down the dark alley of books and scrolls, tentatively looking around at the clutter and dust as she followed his peacock robes through the winding passages that the stacked books lined for them. 

“Yes,” she said, shyly. 

Tala stiffened when her elbow accidentally brushed some taxidermy creature she couldn’t recognize. It was a small, feathery creature with beady black eyes. It looked a little like Dojo, except with four limbs and very big claws on its feet. The strange thing was modeled in such a way that it seemed to be hissing at her, its feathered arms outstretched, and plumed tail sticking straight as a cedar behind it. Tala almost reached out to touch one of its needle-like teeth, but the Grand Master’s cheery voice startled her out of doing it. 

“I had wanted to get them to you sooner,” he said over his shoulder, “but the Council would not allow it. They fear that whatever darkness Wuya tried to instill in you would somehow rub off onto me if you did not go through the proper cleansing, as if I’m one of their fragile artifacts and not the Grand Master of this very temple! Such superstitions are simply archaic! Simply  _ archaic _ !”

He cleared his throat. “I’m sorry that it took this long for us to speak again, Young Scholar, but we two best humor the Elders if we want to see each other more often, now don’t we? At least they pampered you-” he double-took when he finally looked back at her. “-What on  _ earth _ happened to your eyebrows?”

Tala was too shy to speak, barely catching every other of his too-fast, too-grand words.

“Never mind it,” he quickly said, with a broad smile. “Come, there is work to be done.”

He turned around again, his robe flying dust up into Tala’s nose. She stifled a sneeze, leaving a bit of distance between them as she followed. 

The Grand Master’s library was darker than Tala remembered, or perhaps there just weren’t as many candles lit. The Grand Master lead her to a desk that was surrounded by hundreds of books and loose papers. Scrolls were scattered everywhere too, either on the ground, in boxes, or stuffed into cubbies. Tala sneezed again, unable to hold it back this time, when the Grand Master blew on one of the books. He handed it to her with a large grin.

“Can you read this, Young Scholar?” he asked. 

Tala hadn’t expected the book to be so heavy, and struggled to inspect it properly without leaning back on one of the sturdier piles of books. The book was covered in green leather, and at the center of the cover was the imprint of an odd symbol. It  _ looked _ like common tongue...but not quite. Tala looked up at the Grand Master, and shook her head.

Grand Master Wei’s smile dropped into an exaggerated frown. He said, “That’s unfortunate. This is the only book written in Wupoyisho that I have been yet to decode. My hopes were that you would be able to translate it for me.” 

Tala didn’t understand  _ decode, _ but she knew enough of the rest to get it. 

“Wupoyisho?” Tala murmured, looking down at the symbol again. It looked similar to the word ‘tree trunk’ in common tongue, but there were different strokes, some twisting into each other like fog, especially the bottom of the character, which curled like a monkey’s tail. 

“That word is  _ Heu Chae-uy, _ ” said Grand Master Wei.

Tala’s eyes widened a little. She whispered, “Old magic.”

The Grand Master nodded, stroking his beard, holding a thoughtful smirk in the corner of his mouth.

“I have an idea,” he said. “Perhaps, If I read to you, you could translate the words for me. I have an understanding that you still have yet to master writing in _ my _ language, and judging by your blank staring at that book, you have no idea how to read your own.”

Tala stared down at the cover of the book again, her throat tightening and cheeks growing hot. A memory of Mama flared up, her white eyes cold with anger as she tossed a book like this one into the fire pit and watched it burn. Tala squeezed her eyes tightly for a second, as memories of another fire, and her mother’s screams, instantly chased that memory away. She swallowed, and looked up at the Grand Master, holding the book tightly.

“Teach me to read,” she said. “I will help trans..”

“Translate,” said the Grand Master. 

Tala nodded.  

It was hard to think in all of its silence, especially with the Grand Master watching her so intently. He turned sharply, and pulled some things down from the cubby above the desk. 

“This was the first scroll I learned from when I was a young library aid, like yourself,” he said. “This was copied by my own hand before the original scroll was destroyed. See this word here, ‘ _ Taigohjun _ .’  It means-” 

“Celestials,” said Tala, abruptly. She remembered Guan’s stories about them, her heart aching for a time before her friends hated her. She stared at the word, trying to memorize it, realizing that the characters were actually a little familiar. Mama’s book came back into memory, the pages scratching together as Tala and her sister giggled, turning the pages. 

The Grand Master stared at her with a sharp, thoughtful expression for a moment, before standing straight, folding his hands behind his back. 

“This will be a challenge for both of us,” he said, “The Council are adamant about you no longer speaking Wupoyisho, as if forbidding you from speaking your own mother-tongue will force the magic out of you. Ridiculous, in my opinion!”

“The Council wants what?” Tala gasped.

“I do not truly believe in it,” he said. “I despise the caging of any language, being a lover of words myself, but to placate the Council, you must try to distance yourself from your witchly heritage. That is why I proposed to take you in at my side, knowing that any other master would mercilessly silence you. I wish so much for you to succeed here, Tala.”

“I-I will do my best to speak common words,” said Tala, staring blankly at the Wupoyisho written on the scroll in front of her.  

“This library is a safe place for you, child,” said the Grand Master, kindly. “I only warned you so that you would not speak in front of the other Elders and get into trouble. It is my hope that we can figure out this mysterious book, together. If not..”

Tala tore her eyes away from the strange characters, her stomach dropping at the tone of his voice. “If not, Grand Master?”

The Grand Master sighed, taking the book of old magic from her. “If not, then I’m afraid we won’t have any proof to show the others that magic can be good, and eventually clear your name. The spells in here could be the key to unlocking the bindings of the Xiaolin’s curse.”

Tala held her stomach as a stone sunk to the bottom of it.

Grand Master Wei’s solemn face brightened. “Well, we will find out in time, won’t we! Come now, it is time for your community service.”

He rolled up the scroll and stuffed it back into the cubby, along with the book. Winking at Tala, he said, “Our little secret, eh, Young Scholar? We wouldn’t want the Council to do anything rash, should they find out about this.”

Tala smiled, nodding eagerly. “ _ Jo, _ of course!”

He lead her to another cubby area, with a desk that was piled-high with books and scrolls. The Grand Master huffed, swiping a few of the books out of the middle of the tower. Tala ducked, bracing herself for them to come crashing down round them, but the books simply met together again with a hard  _ thud! _

Tala’s eyes were wide, holding the Grand Master in a newfound light of respect. With stars in her eyes, she whispered, “ _ Ningyert! _ ”

The Grand Master chuckled at her, and brought the books over to another desk, and swept out a hand, the long train of his sleeve draping across the scrolls on the ground around it. Tala obeyed the gesture, and stood at the desk, awaiting instruction. 

“When you are done with organizing those calendars,”  said the Grand Master, “I want you to take that crate of books and arrange them by written date. Make sure they are all dusted off properly before you shelve them. Dojo cannot handle the dust very well in his current condition.”

Tala leaned close enough to the calendar scrolls that the tip of her nose touched them. She really couldn’t see, and she wasn’t quite sure if the character was written as ‘celestial maps’ or just a highly stylized ‘boulder,’ and she was too ashamed of herself to ask him. 

“Trainee,” said the Grand Master, curtly, “do I need to speak in Wupoyisho for you, now? I must know that you understand my order.”

Tala bolted upright. “ _ Jo, chawquian! _ ”  

She scrambled to catch the scrolls that fell when she rushed to her feet, but caught only one. The rest fell to the floor in a clatter, at least two of them fully unraveling. Grand Master Wei watched as one in particular bounced against his slipper, its curling tongue revealing the picture of a faceless warrior presenting some sort of artifact to a giant swan. His eyes flicked from the strange picture back to Tala with an annoyed, yet knowing, look in them. 

Tala’s eyes were wide as she silently placed the one scroll she had saved back onto the desk. 

“I- uh, that is- you do not need to, Grand Master,” she said, when Grand Master Wei bent down to grab the scroll at his feet. “I want to speak as much as I am able to of common tongue.”

“Hmph,  _ well _ , your common tongue is certainly improving!” he said, with a light tone. “I should thank Guan for it, even if he hasn’t quite yet managed to be rid of that  _ unfortunate _ slur you call an accent.”

Tala nearly bit her tongue, clamping her mouth shut. She always knew her accent was hard to understand for most people, but she’d never heard of it being a ‘slur,’ whatever that meant. She knew it wasn’t a kind word, by the way the Grand Master’s lip had curled. 

Tala was so embarrassed that the flush in her cheeks made her feel a bit dizzy. Unable to think about how to speak anything else properly in common tongue, she stayed silent. 

She tried to keep the scrolls she had salvaged from rolling off of the desk again by pushing them back up the incline with the flat of her palm. It only disturbed more of the scrolls that were already balancing at the top. Grand Master Wei clapped his hand over them before they too could roll onto the floor.

He shook his head and sighed, saying, “I have learned that Dojo used his own magic to restore the Scroll of Ages to its original state.”

He rolled up the scroll he had picked up and held it out for Tala. She stiffened, bracing herself for a mention of Jia, especially since he looked so cross, but none came.

When she did not take it from him, Grand Master Wei shook the scroll in the air, grunting with annoyance. 

“ _ Jo, chawquian _ ,” said Tala, again. She bowed and took it from his hand. 

The Grand Master sighed deeply again, stroking his beard. “I sincerely wish you had come to me before any of this had happened. Your fellow dragons will need to train even more to be able to make up the defense we lost in Dojo.”

Tala sucked in a breath, twisting the hem of her robes between her fingers. “Grand Master, where is Mr. Dojo?”

“Resting,” said the Grand Master. “He rests often, now. I worry for him.”

Tala felt a little sick. She hadn’t seen much of Dojo since he and Dashi fixed the Scroll of Ages. She whimpered, remembering how tired he seemed after they had chased Wuya off.

“Do not worry, child! He is perfectly healthy!” said Grand Master Wei, with a surprised pinch of laughter to his voice. He clapped a hand over her head as he chuckled, “Dojo just likes to be pampered and babied is all. Yuma and her girls spoil that lizard with treats upon every hour. I’m sure he will grow very fat by next winter. That is where most of my fears lie. Even with the Scroll of Ages restored, I would rather have our Temple Guardian at top condition.”

Tala lifted her eyes to him for a moment, before saying, “Yes, Grand Master.”

“ _ Unfortunately _ , Dojo’s ability to breathe fire has been significantly diminished as a result of your encounter with the sorceress,” he added.

Tala gasped, so shocked that she covered her mouth with her hands. The Grand Master gave her an annoyed look, then unsheathed one of the scrolls. He flattened it out with two peices of carved stone that resembled snarling dragons. 

“Of course, Dojo still  _ can  _ breathe fire,” he said. “He just needs a little help to get it going. Dojo tells me that eating spicy foods does the trick for him, at least out of his tests... _ so far _ .”

Grand Master Wei’s annoyed glance slid to a pile of charred items in the far corner, mostly scrolls. 

“I’m not sure how long it will take for him to be able to use that ability to its full potential, again,” he said. “Just  _ one more _ thing your short-lived alliance with Wuya has caused. The Elder Council is not happy. You are very lucky that my vote overrules Master Young’s. You would have been thrown into prison. Or  _ worse _ . I could not allow it.”

He allowed for a short pause, his words hanging heavy in the air, before asking, “How  _ are _ your classes, these days?”

Tala gulped, fresh embarrassment pouring more fire into her cheeks. It was true that things had gotten worse since her trial.  Master Young hardly even looked at her, just barked orders at the others and expected her to follow. He hadn’t been cruel as outright as he had been in the past, but most days Master Young acted as if his Trainee wasn’t even there. 

“At least it has been a few months,” said the Grand Master. “Most of the masters have cooled their tempers, at least around me, but your Master Young -ha! He’s as firey and short-sighted as ever! I remember when he was my own student. He’s always been a quiet man,  _ except _ for when slighted, I’m afraid. It will take you a thousand lifetimes to gain any speck of trust from him, and even after all that effort, you will lose it all faster than a blink.”

That was exactly what Tala was terrified of. 

Seeming to be caught in his memories, the Grand Master smiled broadly, ignoring the blood draining from Tala’s cheeks. 

He said, with a cheery wave of his hands as he rearranged his brush pot and inkwell, “Keyota was a quiet and charming boy, not nearly as charming as Chase, but I can see the resemblance, even now that he is old and graying. Keyota never took a fondness to the other Dragons, and not much to the maids either. I was pleasantly surprised when he became engaged to Chase’s mother, and I was even more surprised by their wedding! Much like you, that boy always had his head in a book. I often had to prompt him to put them down! ...Young Scholar, are you listening?”

Tala was still too shocked by his comment about Master Young being ‘like her,’ to even nod. Her eyes were wide, staring at the blank parchment, screaming internally.

Grand Master Wei chuckled, and slapped a heavy hand on Tala’s back. “Perhaps I  _ should  _ speak in Wupoyisho! It might be easier for both of us, hm?”

“N-no, Grand Master,” said Tala, quickly, waving her hands. “I will do as the Council wants!”

The cheerful light in his eyes dimmed, and he pat her once more, saying, “Not too often, I hope! The sooner we translate that book, the sooner we find a way to break the curse.”

Tala turned her head away, her shoulders slumping with a sigh. 

“Do not fret, my dear,” said the Grand Master. “We will make it right. You will learn to speak correctly, and we will convince the Elders  _ and _ your master that your intentions as a Xiaolin Monk are noble, _ and _ that you have learned from your mistakes, to not be so..  _ trusting _ with strangers.”

Tala’s stomach flipped. She felt as though she were lying to agree with him about Wuya being a stranger. But.. had he  _ not _ understood what Wuya told her in front of the entire Xiaolin Temple about her mother? Tala was so sure that he had. He’d seemed understanding enough, especially at her trial. The Grand Master certainly _ acted  _ like he knew what had happened, but speaking with her privately like this, it seemed as though he might not have known at all, or at least had not remembered. Perhaps it was best just to agree to it.

She nodded her head again, that same wariness about him from the trial creeping up her back with a nervous tickle. He acted nothing like her now, but Tala still felt that same twist in her belly about Grand Master Wei that she did when speaking to Wuya. 

“Now!” said Grand Master Wei, smiling broadly once again, “I want you to begin reprinting these-”

He grunted, lifting a crate full of scrolls from the floor, and dropped them onto the stool next to her. 

“-Never mind that you might not understand them. It is the neatness of hand that I am looking for, in this lesson. When you are finished, you must print them again. All fifty. You should have one-hundred scrolls printed by tomorrow evening.”

“But!”

“Ah, ah, no buts, Young Scholar!” said the Grand Master.

“The Scroll of Ages,” said Tala, “may I see it?”

The cheer on the Grand Master’s face disappeared. He looked like a completely different man, with sharp, dark eyes glinting with anger. He looked far older, too, his deep frown pulling at every single one of his wrinkles, like some vengeful spirit.

“And why would you want to do that, Tala?” he asked.

“I saw something,” she said, sheepishly. “Something that Wuya was trying-”

“Do  _ not  _ say that name!” hissed Grand Master Wei. He rushed her, his blue and purple robes flying up with his speed. Pointing a finger in Tala’s face, he seethed, “If I hear that name come out of you  _ again, _ you will be punished! If you give the Council any reason to suspect that you are still in league with that witch, I will have no choice but to approve a sentence for you! Believe me when I say that _ none _ of their plans leave you alive at the end,  _ do you understand me _ ?”

Tala clung to the desk, the hard wood pressing into her back as she tried to inch away from the Grand Master.

“ _ Jo _ , yes!” she said, squeezing her eyes shut. 

She felt his shadow linger over her for a few breaths before he moved away. Shen she opened her eyes, Grand Master Wei stared down at her coldly, his hands folded behind his back. 

“If we are to succeed in breaking the Xiaolin’s curse,” he said, very, very quietly, “you must do everything  _ exactly _ as I tell you. Never ask to see the Scroll of Ages again. I will take you to it at a time that  _ I _ choose.”

Tala straightened herself, swallowing the dryness in her throat. 

The Grand Master turned his back, picking up another bundle of books. 

“It is as I said: the Council must trust you again,” he told her, “and, unfortunately, the only way to penance is through hard work. Do this task, quickly. You should be finished with the first half by suppertime. I will have Yat-sen bring in a bowl of rice for you, around midday.” 

‘Hard work,’ thought Tala, pressing a hand to her heart as it began to slow down, ‘more like busy work.’

The Grand Master turned to leave, saying, “And don’t forget to tidy those books for Dojo. He will need all the help you can provide.”

“ _ Jo _ , Grand Master,”

The Grand Master stiffened, instantly stopping in his tracks. “Yes, Young Scholar?”

Tala folded her hands and looked to the floor, even though the Grand Master’s back was turned. “Nevermind,” she said, deciding against asking. “Sorry, Grand Master.” 

“Apologize,” he growled. 

“I am so-”

“No!” snapped the Grand Master. “The word you are looking for, child, is  _ apologize _ . As in ‘I  _ apologize _ , Grand Master.’ You are a Xiaolin Monk, not a rice farmer. Use formal words when addressing your elders. The sooner you learn that, the better. I refuse to let my efforts go down with you, should you fail to convince the Council of your innocence.”

She heard him take a shaky breath in place of the one she was holding.

He then left, before Tala could even ask what was on her mind. She had hoped to ask more about the Scroll of Ages, and the Xiaolin’s magic, but she let it go for now. Poking the belly of a dragon was never a good idea. 

Tala sat down in the chair, leaning back with a sigh. She looked up at the dark ceiling, and thought that she might be in a cellar of sorts, since there were no decorations above the shelves of books and scroll cubbies. The air had a musky smell to it too, old paper and mold.Tala hated how claustrophobic it made her feel. She rubbed her eyes, growing annoyed. 

He seemed worried. 

Not just about Tala’s life, but about something outside of it. Maybe Master Young was giving him a hard time, after all. The Grand Master had been so dramatic in defending her, so insistent of her innocence, that Tala didn’t think to realize that he might have actually risked a lot for her by doing so. Perhaps the Grand Master  _ wasn’t _ as powerful as she thought. She wondered what ‘efforts’ would be going down with her, if this plan of his failed. 

Tala thought of Wuya, again. The witch’s green eyes and sharp teeth mocked her with a phantom laugh. With a frustrated growl, Tala slammed her fist into the dest. Instantly regretting the pain, she sucked on her fingers. 

“ _ Daija Delmora _ .” 

She savored the mantra like it was a cup of fresh water, and it certainly felt like it. She’d already spent three months keeping more than perfectly silent around Master Young, except for this morning. It was torture not to speak. Even Dashi, who always seemed so slow to judgement and hurt, would not deign himself to talk to Tala, even if she  _ did  _ try to speak in common tongue to him, and now that the Grand Master had warned her to be even  _ more  _ careful with her words, Tala considered mutism altogether. 

“ _ Daija Delmora _ ,” Tala whispered again, except the enemy who caused the pain this time was herself. She’d caused this.  _ She _ was the one who betrayed them, and she  _ alone _ would be the one to regain their trust and return to speaking terms with her friends. The refreshing feeling she had from speaking her own language turned sour at the reminder. 

Tala leaned over, taking her brush to paint, and hesitated. Her stomach dropped. The Grand Master certainly was a strange man. A kind one, but strange. He seemed to be the only person who  _ wanted _ to understand her. 

Chase’s smirk crossed her mind, remembering the time he had first visited her in the kitchens, when she was a maid. 

...Well, the only person  _ anymore, _ anyway. 

Tala’s stomach tightened, remembering why they were no longer friends. 

She closed her eyes, taking a deep, heavy breath. “ _ What did Wuya do to the three of you? _ ” 

Tala swallowed the frustrated lump in her throat, and looked back over the blank scroll with a white haze over her eyes. 

“Do no cry,” she said. “You are a Xiaolin Warrior. Do not cry.”

Tala took another steadying breath, and dipped her brush into the inkwell.


	36. S2 Ch2

_ Chapter two_Wild Fire, Meet Avalanche _

Tala hadn’t come to breakfast. 

Guan shifted his gaze from the kitchen doorway back to his rice porridge for the last time of ten, sighing deeply as he poked at the white mush. There was a sour feeling in his stomach, and though it ached with hunger, Guan couldn’t bring himself to eat. 

Chase sat opposite of him, cheek resting heavily on one hand as he also poked at the contents in his bowl. There were dark circles under his eyes, and he struggled to keep them open, every so often jerking himself up when his head began to fall forward. 

“Do you think she’s still asleep?” asked Guan, mostly to himself.

“Who?” Chase grumbled, snapping his head back up again.

It fell back into his hand just as quickly, and he whined, ignoring Guan’s answer: “Tala.”

“We don’t talk about her,” Chase mumbled. He suppressed a yawn, then stuffed some of the porridge into his mouth. 

Guan sighed again, deciding to take up his own spoonful. He ate the tasteless food with a grimace eyeing Chase as he did the same with a stubborn glare pushing itself past the dull, tired sheen in his eyes. 

“I’m worried about her,” Guan admitted, looking again at the kitchen door. “We cannot keep ignoring her, can we?”

“We can,” said Chase, “we just shouldn’t.”

“So you agree with me, that we shouldn't ignore her anymore?”

“I never said that,” said Chase, pointing his spoon at Guan. “I’m just agreeing that it’s wrong.”

A bit of porridge slapped Guan’s cheek, just below his eye. He did his best not to twitch, and wiped it away.

“Anyway,” said Chase, “it’s not up to us, it’s up to my dad. We have to follow his orders.”

“Chase, since when have you ever listened to Master Young in your life?” asked Guan, smiling at Chase as he suppressed another yawn. 

“I don’t know,” said Chase, folding his arms, “I just don’t want to lose him again, even if that means shutting Tala out.”

Chase pushed his blow away and leaned forward. His eyes were on the table, his jaw tight. 

Guan reached out and pat Chase’s hand.

“I know,” he said, softly. 

Chase took his hand and squeezed it. Guan watched his throat bob, before Chase cleared his throat. His voice cracked when he said, “I keep having dreams about what Wuya did to him. I can’t sleep.”

“Neither can I,” said Guan, sneaking another glance at the door. “I’m really worried for her.”

“Why?” snapped Chase, taking his hand back. “You know Tala doesn’t usually eat breakfast. Besides, it’s not like  _ she’s _ training.”

“Her father  _ died _ , Chase,” said Guan, leaning back into his chair. “Try to have some sympathy.” 

Chase stood, and slammed his palms onto the table. “So did mine!” 

The entire dining hall went silent.

“Yours came back to life,” said Guan, quietly. “Tala’s didn’t.”

Chase seemed to realize that everyone was staring at him, because he stiffened, his face gradually turning red. He sat back down, and the hall’s usual chatter began to pick back up again.

“So, what am I supposed to do, Guan,” Chase hissed, leaning close with a hand cupped over the side of his mouth, “welcome Tala back with open arms after everything she pulled, because she found out she’s an orphan? So are you and Dashi, and I don’t see either of  _ you two _ teaming up with a psychotic witch to take down everything we know and lov-”

A book slapped the table next to Chase. 

The pair slowly turned their eyes up to Master Young. He looked just as tired as Guan felt, fly-aways jumping out of his normally kempt warrior’s knot. The scar on his upper lip twitched.

“Young monk, it’s a tad early for an outburst like that,” he said with a low voice, giving his son a pointed glare. “What in the world has you so riled before sunrise?” 

Chase looked away, his shoulders slumping as he said, “Sorry, sir”

“Not the explanation I had hoped for,” said Master Young, dismissively, “but it will have to do.”

Chase’s face was beet red now, as he avoided even looking at his father. Instead, he played with the spoon, letting porridge drip from it back into the bowl. 

Master Young lingered for a few more seconds, before saying, “Neither of you be late this morning, understood? I don’t want to hear any more whispers about my students not bothering to show up on time.”

“Tell that to Tala and Dashi,” Chase growled, quietly. He let another glob of porridge plop back down into the bowl, splashing a little over the side. 

Guan noticed how Master Young stiffened at Tala’s name being mentioned, but said nothing. He walked away, leaving the book beside Chase. 

Guan looked at the book, bound by old, modest leather. He asked, “What is that?”

Chase sniffed indifferently, shoveling a spoonful of the porridge into his mouth. He muttered between bites, “Poetry, probably. The old man can’t get enough of it. Always has his head in that journal.”

Guan thumbed through the leather journal, stopping on a page with a pressed cluster of cherry blossoms keeping its reading place. He saw that a few marks had been tallied next to certain words in the poem.

“ _ You carry cherries and peaches  _ **_in your hand_ ** _ , _

_ Eating the  _ **_fruit_ ** _ of the  _ **_withered branch_ ** _. _

_ You  _ **_bury the pits_ ** _ in blackened land, _

_ A  _ **_wild fire_ ** _ , put out by an  _ **_avalanche_ ** _. _ ” 

Guan read it out loud, and said, peering closely at the page, “This looks handwritten, fresh ink as well.”

There was a twist of confusion to Chase’s disbelieving smirk. “What does that mean?” 

“I don’t know,” said Guan. “What do you think it means?”

Chase grimaced, sheepishly scratching the back of his neck. “Knowing my dad, it’s just some hard-to-get poem only smart people like him can understand. Maybe he wrote it for my mom. Most of his poetry is about her, or  _ was _ .” 

Guan’s stare softened, and he smiled. “Well, whatever it means, we should give it back to him at sunrise training.”

He bopped Chase on the head with the journal, saying, “We have ten minutes, so finish eating, quickly.”

Chase smiled, a soft chuckle escaping it, and dipped his spoon into his bowl. Guan did the same, fighting his own giggle.

* * *

Chase snuck a glance at Tala’s empty spot. His stomach tightened, feeling Guan’s worry from breakfast becoming contagious, or maybe it was just bad porridge. She really wasn’t coming. Chase’s stomach clenched again, as did the base of his throat. Yeah, it had to have been bad porridge. 

“Chase, are you listening?” asked his father, for once not looking like he had smelled something rotten. His eyes were softer today, though his mouth still held that grim, thin shape it always did. 

Chase stood, and bowed to Master Young. “Yes, sir. Forgive my absent mindedness.” 

Master Young folded his hands behind his back and stood tall, his hooded eyes casting a shadow over the suspicion in them. “Alright. Let’s get started, then.” 

Guan nudged Chase’s foot with an encouraging smile on his face. Chase smiled back at him before releasing his bow, and stepping in front of Master Young. Guan joined him, bumping Chase’s knuckles with his. 

“Today will be a light lesson for you both, since your teammates decided not to show up  _ again _ ,” sighed Master Young, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Just… stretch, then run laps for the next thirty minutes. After that, I’ll have you two follow up with a few simple balancing exercises to build your core endurance. We’ll work up from there.”

“We did that yesterday, dad,” said Chase, seizing up. “Why can’t we just move on without them?”

“Because you are a  _ team _ , Chase,” said Master Young, exasperation enunciating his words. “I shouldn’t need to keep telling you this. If you want to become the next Shoku Warrior, you will have to understand the importance of rising together.” 

“That’s rich, coming from you,” said Chase.

Master Young balked, blinking rapidly with his mouth hanging open. “ _ Excuse _ me?” 

“Master Young, sir,” said Guan, quickly, “you left your journal at our table this morning. I had meant to return it to you sooner, but..”

Chase heard the hesitancy in Guan’s voice, and blushed. He rubbed one of his arms, looking away from his father, biting the inside of his cheek. 

Master Young looked directly at Chase, squinting his eyes. “And, did you read it?”

Chase hesitated, turning red, before admitting, “..Yes..”

Master Young groaned, and turned around, rubbing his eyes. 

“We didn’t understand it!” Chase insisted, his cheeks growing hotter and hotter, “It’s just dumb poetry, who cares!”

Chase saw his father’s back visibly steel up. He held his hand out, not looking to either of his students. “Just give me the book, Guan.”

Master Young snatched the journal from Guan’s unsure fingers, and Chase noticed a splash of pink on his nose, though the rest of his face was still covered with his other hand. 

“It’s not ‘ _ just dumb poetry _ ,’” said Master Young, flipping the pages with a focused stare scanning each turning page. He stopped on the page with the pressed cherry blossom, his hand hovering over the brittle, thin piece of branch, before snapping the journal closed. Chase jumped back an inch, startled. 

“It’s a shame you don’t understand it,” said his father, sounding a bit sad. 

“That’s because you won’t bother telling me what it means,” said Chase, folding his arms to cover up his frustration.  

Master Young looked him in the eyes, genuine surprise on his face, asking softly, “Would you listen?”

Chase’s face felt hot again, his throat tightening. He looked away, only to meet Guan’s eyes, which also looked a bit sad. He said nothing, and broke into a jog, hoping by the time the thirty minutes were over, they’d all have forgotten about that stupid poem. 

Guan caught up with him shortly, laughing. Chase pushed him, and Guan grunted, stumbling off balance. When he came back to Chase’s side, he said, “At least it kept you two from fighting!”

Chase rolled his eyes. “Now, if only you could do that for him and Tala. If they don’t start talking to each other soon, none of us will be able to learn the skills we need to raise our ranks.”

Guan nodded. “Let’s hope she shows up tomorrow, then.” 


	37. S2 Ch3

_Chapter three_ A Goodbye, An Opportunity, and A Very Strange Bird_

Huhu whinnied when Jun strapped on the last pack onto his rump. He pat the horse gently, cooing sweet nothings to the agitated animal. Tala watched warily, eyeing Huhu as he stomped his displeasure into the dirt, shaking his flanks as Jun tightened the strap of the saddle.

Jia came over, unraveling the makeshift cloth pack she held. She handed Tala one of the sweet buns and bit into her own.

“ _Ui_ , Mr. Jun, must you go?” she asked sadly, placing the bun beside her.

Tala yelped when Huhu bent his head to bite the bun, flicking his ears. Jun shooed his big head away, and took the bun, biting into it on the opposite side of where Huhu had.

“I’m sorry, Tala,” said Jia, “but with how the rest of the Temple has treated you, I can’t take chances of anyone finding out about me.”

“What about Rushi?” asked Tala, bitterly folding her arms.

Jia folded up the cloth pack again, saying simply, “We broke up.”

Tala rushed to her feet. “ _Deir_?!”

Jia nodded. “I told her, she freaked out, I had to end our relationship. That’s why I can’t risk anyone else finding out. I was hoping she would come with me, but… I guess not.”

Tala fought a grin, swallowing it down, and covering her mouth with her hands. Jun seemed to notice, frowning at her with a slight shake of his head. Tala dropped the grin, and her hands.

“ _Ui,_  I am sorry,” she said, sheepishly. Tala turned to Jun, brightening “Oh! Mr. Jun knows, then?”

Jun smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes.

“Yep,” he said. “She’s stuck with me ‘n Huhu!”

Jia scoffed, finishing up tightening the other packs on the other side of Huhu. “Well, it’s all over now. Let’s hope I can find work on our way back to our village, or we won’t be able to buy enough food for the horse. My Temple money can only get us so far.”

“The journey is far away?” asked Tala.

Jia shrugged. “Only a week, but with the frequent rains, it may be longer with all of the mud, and I’m not sure how well Huhu will take to just eating grass, not to mention finding him clean water.”

“Need to look out for landslides,” added Jun, grinning happily.

“ _Ui_ ,” said Tala, after thinking for a moment, “I _am_ sorry about Rushi, and you needing to leave.”

Jia smiled at her. She lifted her hand above Tala’s head, but snatched it back. Her smile waned a little, then she bent down and wrapped Tala in a hug.

“It’s not your fault,” she said, squeezing Tala a bit more tightly. “Rushi and I were beginning to have our differences, anyway. We knew each other for a long time, but that didn’t mean we’d last.”

Jia cleared her throat and pulled away. “Besides, I’ve been missing my grandmother for a while, now. And, after what Wuya said, I want to talk to her about this Hydra stuff. She probably has the answers I’m looking for.”

“Yeah, she’s really old!” chirped Jun.

Jia laughed and kissed Tala’s cheek. Winking, she told her, “It’s for the best.”

Tala’s vision blurred. “No, it is not!”

Tala hugged Jia’s neck, tears tumbling down her face, one after the other. “Please, do not leave!”

Jia hugged her back, voice trembling, “I’ll miss you too, Tala.”

Jia pried Tala’s hands off of her and straightened herself, rubbing her eyes. Behind her, Jun rubbed his eyes as well, and pulled his hat down over his eyes.

The first quarter bell began to ring, the gong’s deep hum reverberating against the courtyard’s stone walls. Jia looked at Tala, pressing her lips tightly together.

“You should go,” she said, looking back toward the giant, open doors of the Temple’s main gate. “If Master Young notices you aren’t doing your chores-”

“He will _not_ notice,” said Tala, through her teeth, “Noperson does.”

Jia was hesitant in offering a smile, but said, “In any case, Jun and I should go before it starts raining again, so we won’t have to look for shelter right away.”

Tala bit her lower lip, turning so that Jia wouldn’t see the tears in her eyes again.

Jia took Tala’s chin and turned her head to face her, saying, “Hey, no tears.”

Tala stubbornly nodded her head in agreement, wiping her eyes with the back of her sleeve.

“We’ll come back,” said Jia, giving Tala one last hug. “I _promise_ we’ll come back, and I’ll tell you all about my grandmother, and you can tell me about all of your monk adventures, okay?”

Tala wasn’t given enough time to answer. Focusing on holding back her tears made her forget exactly how to say what she wanted to, and the moment quickly passed. Jia was already mounting Huhu by the time Tala’s common tongue returned to her, so she sat in silence, clenching the hem of her robes in her balled fists.

She whispered, “Bye,” as Jun guided Huhu and Jia down the same winding path that Papa had once left on. She wondered if she really would see them again, of if they would disappear like he did, never to return.

* * *

 

Awkwardness saturated the humid air that afternoon. The walkways were dark from the morning’s brief rain, and the smell of wet grass mingling with the spicy orange of the steaming tea at her table made Tala’s stomach churn.  She jumped at the sound of Master Young clearing his throat when her eyes began to mindlessly wander to the window.

“You will come back to sunrise training,” he said, pouring himself a third cup. “That is not a request.”

“Yes, Master.”

Master Young looked up, gesturing toward her own tea cup. Tala waved her hand quickly, as hers was still full, though steam didn’t rise from it.

Master Young shrugged and put the kettle down, twisting the carved, ivory handle to face the window. He brought the tea to his lips, saying with a single, raised eyebrow, “Quite the fragrant tea you have, young warrior. Another gift from the Grand Master, I’m assuming. He has been gifting you many luxuries this past week, _hasn’t_ he?”

He had made a point to leave the question open, but Tala didn’t take the opportunity he had offered. Instead, Tala folded her hands in her lap, nodding with tight lips.  

“Your eyebrows are...interesting,” Master Young offered with a slight grin. “I’ve heard that this sort of makeup is popular in the southern cities, or so Chase tells me. He’s always keeping up with the fashions of the Capitol.”

Tala touched one of her eyebrows, the shaved bits around the oval shape of it prickling against her finger. She hardly even whispered,  “Thank you, Master.”

Master Young cleared his throat. “I’m sure you’re already aware of the ban the Elder Council has on your…”

“Everything, Master,” said Tala, since even thinking of translating the whole list made her eyes feel heavy. She began playing with the hem of her robe, beneath the table. She looked down at her cold tea, not wanting to see the satisfied smirk on his face.

“They’re all paranoid old men,” he said, sighing. “I am _one_ of those paranoid old men.”

Tala snapped her head up.

‘ _Wow, he admitted it,_ ’ she thought, her eyes narrowing with suspicion as Master Young looked out the window.

“Of course, you _did_ give Wuya a chance to kill everyone, _myself_ included, so forgive me if I’m being overly cautious,” he said, shifting his eyes back to her, narrowing with their own suspicion.

Tala tensed. “That was-”

“Because you were tricked?” he finished for her, sharply. Taking another sip of his tea, he said, “The Grand Master keeps insisting that’s the case, though I have yet to hear it from you. The Grand Master’s insistence of your innocence why I’m even _considering_ giving you another chance. That being said, you will attend sunrise training, tomorrow-”

“But!”

“- _and_ you will bring Dashi with you.”

“But!”

“ _But_ ,” snapped Master Young, his glare shutting Tala’s mouth, “if I ever see you even so much as whisper to my son, I will have you locked up. Chase doesn’t need your influence. He will be your Shoku, one day. _Your_ job is _not_ to be his friend, but to _follow_ his leadership, understood?”

Tala shifted in her seat, biting the inside of her cheek and wringing the hem of her robe.

“What is it?” asked Master Young. “Don’t tell me you’re upset about my condition?”

Of course she was! The thought made her so angry that her hands began to burn. Tala looked at Master Young, steeling herself. She nodded, silently.

Her magic began to crackle at her fingertips, but didn’t quite make it past her skin. Tala sighed, willing it back down. She said, “I understand, but I do not want to follow.”

“And, why not?” Master Young snapped. “The only thing you’ve ever caused him is pain!”

Tala slammed her teacup back onto the table, standing. She said, with a shout, “He is my friend!”

Master Young’s shock melted into an arrogant grin, asking, “His friend? His _friend_ ? Young warrior, you have been _many_ things at this Temple, but Chase’s friend has never been one of those things. Even _he_ admits to that.”

Tala’s confidence drained out of her, like melting snow, from head to toe. _He said that?_

Her stomach tightened, remembering Chase’s attitude toward her over the course of the few months since Wuya’s escape. Hating how much it made sense, she fidgeted with her hands. “I-I,”

Master Young stood up. He sighed, placing a hand on Tala’s shoulder.

“I don’t blame you for your hurt feelings, Tala,” he said, “but you need to understand that you and my son are on completely different playing fields. You may both be future Xiaolin Dragons, but you will _never_ be his friend. And, every time either of you seem to try, _you_ hurt him.”

Tala’s throat tightened, and she hugged herself. Tears fell when she sighed, heavily.

“Take my advice,” said Master Young, the sympathy in his voice turning sour in her ears by his words, “train, become a better warrior, and leave my son alone. For both of your sakes, I will not allow your relationship with him to become anything more than fellow Dragons. If you wish to continue training under me, you will abide by my condition.”

Tala swallowed the ball of anger in her throat, a quiet “Yes, Master,” pushing past it.

Master Young’s half-hearted smile fell flat as quickly as it came across his face. “I will see you at sunrise training, tomorrow.”

Tala’s stomach felt both hollow and full at the same time as she watched Master Young leave her suite. She bit down on her inner cheek, willing the welling in her eyes to stop.

Jia was gone, she wasn’t allowed to talk to Chase; Tala’s entire plan to reconcile with everyone was falling apart already, so what was next?!

With frustration, Tala kicked the table. She yelped, saving the tea cups and pot before they could spill. Her nose collided with the edge of the table, and she let herself cry because of that, hugging the teapot close to her.

Tala groaned and wiped her face, angry at herself for feeling like this. It _was_ all her own fault, after all. Even though Tala wanted to fix everything, she knew deep down that what she wanted didn’t matter to anyone else. Tala turned around so that her head could rest against the side of the table, and listened to the rain that began to patter against the patio roof, outside.

A sudden realization snapped her eyes wide. Master Young told her to bring Dashi to training, tomorrow. She clutched her stomach, curling her legs in. Panic began to rise.

Tala took a deep breath, and groaned out the breath she held. How could she face him, and ask him to come to training? What was Master Young thinking?! Why can’t _he_ do it?! He went to _her_!

“ _Aishoura_ ,” she hissed, face-palming. Bad luck, all of it!

Tala fell to her side on the floor, curling into the fetal position with a long whine. She peered through her fingers, when she heard the loud squawk of a bird. With her back door open, Tala could see the bright colors of that bird she had seen a day ago, fanning his wings as he sat on the little shrine that was built for Papa.

Tala sat up, her hair and face a mess with fly-aways and drying tears. She rubbed at the remaining tears quickly, and clamored to her feet. Tala practically threw herself past the open doorway, catching herself on the door frame, watching the bird with wide eyes.

It stared down at her, a soft squawk rumbling from its throat. The bird was so beautiful, with a thick, curved beak and colors upon colors in his feathers.  

“It’s you!” she said, disbelief and awe widening her mouth into a toothy smile.

The bird’s answer wasn’t pretty, mocking her with a raspy, “It’s you! It’s you!”

“What are you?” she asked. Mesmerized, she slowly reached out a hand, one of her fingers bent for the bird to investigate her scent.

The bird bent its head, one beady, black eye focusing on her finger. It inched closer, until Tala’s finger was within range.

“Ow!” Tala yelped, snatching her hand back. Blood pooled where she had been bitten.

The bird squawking loudly, flapping its wings. It screeched harshly, “What are you! _Squawk!_ What are you!”

With one last defiant squawk, the bird leaped into the air, the scratching of its long feathers snapping together above Tala’s head as she ducked to avoid the thing from catching its claws in her hair.

Tala watched the strange bird fly above the roof of her suite, mumbling in Wupoyisho, “ _I’ve been wondering that, myself_.”


End file.
